6 Ways Becoming a Minimalist Leads to Better Overall Health
Becoming a minimalist means living a simple life that is free from possessions you do not need and clutter that gives you anxiety. It is a lifestyle in which you do not have to worry about "keeping up with the Jones' " or finding places to tuck away and organize hundreds of things that do not serve a specific purpose. Being a minimalist is about finding the courage to live your best life with as few physical possessions as possible and have the freedom to do what you would like to do with your time. Minimalism is good for the mind, body, and soul, and here are some of the specific health benefits you can enjoy when adopting this lifestyle.
1. Clutter Compounds Stress
With hectic work and school schedules, shuffling kids around, and dealing with all of the tasks life throws your way, people are exposed to more stressors than ever before. Prolonged stress leads to medical issues such as migraines, obesity, heart disease, digestive problems, ulcers, diabetes are more.
Clutter compounds stress and reduces your ability to relax at the end of a long day. Having excess possessions and clutter makes your home look busy and keeps your brain going at full speed when your home should be a peaceful retreat with calming influences. Keep only the items you need and get rid of furnishings and decor that do not promote rest and relaxation.
2. Minimalist Living Equals Less Cleaning
Especially helpful for those who have dust allergies, living a minimalist lifestyle means less cleaning. The less possessions you have in your home, the less places dust can accumulate and the better you will feel as a result. By keeping your home decor simple and as minimal as possible, there will be less places for you have to worry about cleaning. Take charge of your life and experience more free time from household chores.
3. Work Less and Achieve More
When you become a minimalist, there is less pressure on you to earn a huge income and therefore, you can explore working where you have always dreamed of working and not have to worry so much about the income. Living a minimalist lifestyle will free you from working excessive hours so that you can spend more of your life doing what you would like to do and achieving goals you may have only dreamed about before. Minimalism allows people the opportunity to downsize their home, make only meaningful and necessary purchases, and reduce debt. When you are less dependent on income and possessions, your mental and physical health will benefit.
4. Enjoy a Better Diet
Minimalism is an entire lifestyle overhaul and changing up the way you eat will benefit your health as well. Cut out processed and artificial foods, and enjoy simple meals that are packed with nutrition. Make a commitment to purchase local and organic foods and plan out menus that allow you to use all of your ingredients to reduce food waste. If you purchase a bag of celery for a specific dish, find other recipes to prepare that week which allow you to use up the rest of the celery. For even healthier meals and money saving opportunities, raise your own meat and grow your own fruits and veggies. You can order a Brix meter to measure the nutrients of your home grown fruits and vegetables and compare them to the produce you would purchase at the store.
5. Live the Life You Want to Live
Becoming a minimalist allows you to live the life you really want to live. With less pressure to purchase all the new gadgets, the best luxury car, and the biggest house in the neighborhood, you will have the freedom to take a hike, swim in the ocean, explore the mountains, or travel to far and distant lands. Minimalism is about keeping your everyday life simple so that you can do the things you want to do in your spare time.
6. Keep Healthy Relationships
Is there someone in your life that seems to draw all of the energy out of a room, or brings chaos into every situation? Begin your minimalist journey by examining all of the relationships in your life and sever ties with those who do you more harm than good. Living a minimalist lifestyle is about reducing stress and enjoying simplicity. Surround yourself with positive influences and those who bring joy to your life; you will carry less emotional baggage in the end.
Become a minimalist and enjoy a life that is free of unneeded clutter and stress. Minimalism is about removing things from your life that do not have a function or that do you harm. It is a lifestyle change in which you can focus on the things that really matter. On this journey, you can focus on better physical and mental health, and appreciating the things and people that you do have more.