Minimalism

Back in August 2015, I claimed to have been studying a minimalist lifestyle. 

I am confident to say I wear the name Minimalism proudly. 

Last year, was the year I was triggered by the idea of minimalism. I cannot exactly remember where I saw the idea of minimal living but it existed and it felt good - actually, I think I had seen it on a fashion blog and the simplistic nature of piecing outfits together was so easy but really appealing. 

Then Instagram landed it's life to me. Following all these bloggers and YouTuber's I found on the Internet for a couple of months to end year. I had decided to study this idea for sometime. It took longer than I had anticipated due to making changes and learning how to find the consistency was difficult because I am weak at these stuff, you guys! Back to the point, following minimalists and their day to day routines and noting their thought processes on how they go about treasuring their lifestyles and working to maintaining it, was amusing.

However, something resonated skin deep. This was more than the idea of appeal, more than aesthetics - it was psychological. 

I grew up in a household in which we had a business that formed part of our house surrounded by people and things all the time! My mom worked like a 24/7 store. Rather than being inspired by her strength and resilience, I grew apart from the lifestyle I was born into because it was consistent and there was no peace - Ever! Even when the business stopped for a day or two, family was a substitute even to this day. So yea, I tried to detach myself from such day-to-day dissensions and it grew internally frustrating for a long time. ( Which probably explains why I am only available at nocturnal hours. This was the only time I was able to find individual peace )

Personally speaking, I was angry all the time. Not only was my environment crowded by things so was my mind and there was nothing I could do. I felt like a 12 years a slave character. So I believe someone stole my role and I should have been the extra. 

See, spending money on stuff eased the stress I had so many clothes, food and a ton of friends. These easily became distractions - temporary and exhausting distractions. 

Like I said its psychological. So I searched, I read, I saw, calculated, rehashed and submitted. 

I was gradually fascinated by the concepts of systems of inheritance, materialism, consumerism and how they impact us as individuals.

One of my major concerns was: 

1. How do I break free from these systems I was born into?

2. How do sustain the life waiting ahead of me?

3. How will my family and others perceive this? 

Mama was growing old. Neither was it healthy for the household so eventually, the business stopped. I had a release and I realized something important - the external environment has a significant effect with the internal part of my well-being both physically and emotionally ... 

I spend months clearing stuff firstly with the mental part of things, then my work, personal life, my possessions. 

Minimalism allowed me to erase and rescue myself from a world that would ( just to be dramatic ) have eaten me alive.

I put a mini-gallery in this post to illustrate how my aesthetic has changed due to the idea of minimalism. 

 Side-topic: I wanted to start a fashion blog but realizing that I would have to completely restructure my goals, my life was scary. This meant changing my closet. Reducing my possessions. Rehashing my systems. But I went ahead with running the fashion blog anyway. I later discovered that this was a step to consumerism, a world I was trying to deter from. My progress slowed as I found myself buying stuff again. Doing the same things. Feeling the way I felt years before.

So I went hard on this, I decluttered my life in quite a brutal and honest way actually. Here is an obvious example, about a way of living with regards to fashion that recently discovered. On a day-to-day basis I have figured out ways to dress well ( PS: I am not cocky ) on a minimal closet, using capsule closets. ( PS2: I'll blog about my systems if I receive positive vibes from this from, you guys. )

There is so much about minimal living that I had shadowed. There is minimalism in art, health, science, in the environment, sustainability, accessibility, psychology, interior and and aaaand. 

I am excited to blog from this perspective. To write from this perspective. I am yet to extend my knowledge.

For additional information visit, www.theminimalists.com (PS3, the last part sounds like an advertisement, but it shouldn't because I am just a blog, a man going against societal transgressions and ways of living).

Cheers, Misfit.