They say the more you practice something, the better you get. I find this concept similar to living minimally and de-cluttering. The more I get rid of, the easier I find to get rid of stuff. Removing one item from my home is hard, but removing many is easy…why is that?
Looking back at my recent experiences, I believe this is because once you find that one thing you can live without, it’s easier to shift that same mindset onto other items and come to the same realisation. But finding that one item is the most difficult because that is the start of the thought process, it’s the first item that makes you think the most. In a sense finding that first item requires more brain power. Yet, it’s easier to draw conclusions once you have already started asking yourself questions and answering them. Particularly if you are finding the answer ‘I don’t need this’ to be the same repeatedly.
I genuinely enjoy an afternoon at home on my own simply to purge through things I no longer want. I very much like being uninterrupted and to get on a role. Furthermore, the more I get rid of the more I feel a sense of achievement, I feel less anxious like a large weight has been lifted off my shoulders. So much so that sometimes, I even find it hard to stop and there are times when I just want to keep going and going.
It is important to realise though, as much as I like to keep going and keep sorting through things it’s nice to have a break. Sometimes I make better decisions when I break up my de-cluttering as this refreshes my mind. Sometimes even having a few days of getting rid of nothing, or even a few weeks helps to fuel my desire to get rid of more stuff. It keeps me motivated.
Motivation is a wonderful thing, I’m sure I’m not the only one but the endorphins I get from achieving my minimalist goals make me feel fabulous about myself. It’s an activity that makes me feel good, keeps me happy and most of all is free!
In summary, creating momentum is a great way of motivating the de-cluttering process. But I’m sure we all do this in very different ways. There are many different strategies and forms of motivating ones self.
How do you create momentum in your life?
This is Minimalism 