Stress used to be the operator and controller of my life. I would wake up overwhelmed from the day that had just begun. I knew things needed to change.
I started to look inward and listen to my body, pay attention to what I was consuming (both social media and diet), where I was spending my money, and considered how my home was affecting my mental health.
Here are the 4 ways I began to live a minimalistic and intentional life:
1.) Cut down social media time
It can be hard to find a healthy balance with social media. There are some weeks and months where I completely remove various media apps from my home screen because of the way I reach for them as a distraction. The minute I would have downtime, my finger was already scrolling on my screen. The drive and motivation for accomplishing health goals, relationship goals, or career goals came from influencers or entrepreneurs who were living the life I wanted to live. Instead of looking at my own life, I relied on the lives of others and detrimentally compared them to my own.
But every time I take a step back from social media, I pay more attention to the world around me, I am a better listener, I’m a better writer, have greater focus, and feel in control of my life. I think about all the moments that are taken away while my face is glued to my phone and that is enough for me to consciously limit my time on social media apps.
2.) No longer buy clothing with the trend
There is so much harm that comes with fast fashion and following short-term trends. Following short-term trends and wearing what everyone else is wearing hinders your ability to have an individual style. Clothing from fast fashion brands has a short lifespan and is costly to the environment and human rights. A recent poll marked a 400% increase in fast fashion global market sales in the last 20 years.
Owning staple pieces has greatly elevated my wardrobe and allowed me to be more creative with my outfits. I also love to visit thrift stores to find unique pieces (for a great price) that align with my style. Knowing where my money goes motivates me to continue to buy higher-quality pieces that last.
3.) Practice intentionality with my space
I find peace in my space. I fill my space with items that bring me happiness without cluttering it. Each piece of furniture or decor has a place and it is tied to a memory or has sentimental value. Placing meaning behind what fills your space invokes intentionality. It helps reminisce of past times or serves as a positive reminder for a hopeful future.
Throughout my time living more minimalistic, I have found joy in blank spaces on my walls. It has allowed for more sun to take up the room and causes my home to become brighter. I now prefer to live in a smaller space because I do not feel pressured to buy unnecessary things to fill it. It has allowed me to see what I actually need and what is just clutter. Having an aesthetically and intentionally decorated home with no clutter helps me be more creative. A de-cluttered space is a de-cluttered mind.
4.) Simplifying my diet
Instead of worrying about what I was going to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I became the queen of meal prep. I removed the day-to-day mental energy of wondering what I would make for each meal by dedicating a few hours on the weekends to plan what I would eat for the week and prepping what I could beforehand. I have saved so much time during the week when my meals and snacks are already prepped. Having weekly meal plans has helped me appreciate my food more because of the investment I am making in my health. I try my best to align the foods I am eating in a week to where I am in my menstrual cycle (I will be writing another post about the foods that I eat to help support each phase).
I removed stress from trying to eat a “perfectly healthy” diet. I indulge when I feel the need to and listen to what my body wants. About 80–85% of my diet is from whole foods while leaving 15–20% for when I go out to restaurants with friends and family, eat dessert, or I want a more comforting home-cooked meal. I am not just feeding my body with whole and nutritious foods, but I am feeding my mind. A healthy body is a healthy mind.
There is no one size fits all for ways to live more minimalistic, but these changes are what helped me see the biggest positive impact on my life and health. Find what works best for you and lean into the peace that comes when life is lived more intentional.
