Minimalism and Mental Health. Why less is more when it comes to your happiness.

We live in a world where success is often equated with the acquisition of material possessions. But, it doesn’t appear to get us very far when it comes to our overall happiness. In fact, recently published research out of Ghent University proposes that there is even a connection between materialism and depression. It seems that people have started to take note as minimalism has made its way into the mainstream. Marie Kondo’s best-selling book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, urges us to get rid of items that don’t spark joy. It has been published in over 30 countries. Meanwhile Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, a duo dubbed The Minimalists, boast 490k Instagram followers and are set to release their second documentary on Netflix in January 2021. What do we do with this information? Do we sell all of our possessions and live with the bare minimum? It might not be quite that simple. 

What is minimalism?

Minimalism has less to do with how much stuff you own and more to do with the relationship you have with that ‘stuff’. Millburn and Nicodemus say that owning material possessions isn’t a problem in and of itself. Rather, it’s the “meaning we assign to our stuff: we tend to give too much meaning to our things, often forsaking our health, our relationships, our passions, our personal growth, and our desire to contribute beyond ourselves.”

There is science to back up this theory. A study from Tillburg University found that consumers who valued material possessions as a measure of success or a “happiness medicine” tended to see increases in levels of loneliness. On the other hand, consumers who sought possessions for joy and fun saw decreases in their level of loneliness. 

Millburn and Nicodemus say that minimalism should be viewed more as a device than a rigid way of living with set rules and limitations. The pair define minimalism as a “tool to rid yourself of life’s excess in favor of focusing on what’s important—so you can find happiness, fulfillment, and freedom.”

The benefits of minimalism 

The benefits of minimalism on one’s mental health haven’t been extensively studied yet. As a result, there is still much to learn about the relationship between minimalism and mental health and the key mechanisms at play. Although, the current literature does show that those who live simply tend to experience more emotionally positive experiences and higher levels of well-being. These benefits tend to stem from the extra time, space and energy that becomes available for things like self-care, travel, relationships, and exercise when we are not so focused on acquiring things. In short, decluttering your space helps you declutter your mind. 

Simplify, simplify, simplify.

Living a more simple, minimal lifestyle all starts with self-reflection. You have to begin by getting to know yourself. Figure out what you value in life and what is most important to you. Once you’ve done that, take a look around. Does your ‘stuff’ really add value to your life or just clutter?

Once you’ve answered these kinds of questions it should be very clear where you need to make adjustments. Perhaps you don’t need a brand new dress for every wedding you’re attending next summer. Maybe you can rent one using a clothing-sharing app instead and spend the money you saved on an extra night away. Maybe buying a home isn’t all that important to you and you would rather spend your money on travel than a down payment.

Happiness doesn’t necessarily lie at the centre of a tiny home with white walls and less than 100 objects in it. You might find it there. But, you might not, because, the truth is, happiness and fulfillment look different for everyone. What we all have in common is that in order to feel content, we have to focus on the things that matter the most to us. And, that can be difficult to do when you’re too busy spending money, time, and energy on acquiring things that bring no value to your life. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’re going to go find out what brings us joy. How about you?