Staying Motivated on the Minimalist Path

Staying motivated while on the path to becoming a minimalist is a challenge to be sure, but one that is worth taking on.

When you begin minimizing it's easy to stay motivated. After all, this is the case when you begin anything new, whether that's a class, job, book, or exercise regime. You were probably excited about the idea of starting, that's why you began whatever it was in the first place. But then, other things start to crop up and get in the way. That's life, right?

Expect your motivation to flag and return again and again to the idea of beginners mind. Remember why you started down the path to becoming a minimalist in the first place. In my case, it was because I felt weighed down by too much stuff. This excess of objects and the associated clutter drained my creative energy. Now, just by minimizing a few spaces in my home, my office for instance, I feel more creative and able to work on the revision of a novel that has languished for a year.

As I begin my writing work for the day though, I still want to remain motivated to continue down the minimalist path. One way to do that is to do one small minimize every day. After all, this is a habit I am trying to form, a new way of being in the world, and not just a one-time minimize and clear-out that will have an end.

A key for me is to have a simple minimization task I can accomplish and then build on. Even if you only have five minutes to work on minimizing a space, that is enough time to keep the habit building.

Today, I have a lot on my plate as far as errands and writing, but I still plan to work a minimize project. I have several to choose from:

• Closet
• Workout or t-shirt drawer
• Sock drawer
• Kitchen counter
• Bathroom basket

Doing any one of these minimize tasks will keep forward momentum, and I plan to take one of them on today. By continuing to practice minimizing and simplifying, I am getting better at it and keeping the minimalist mindset building. It is all in how you look at the world and how you interact with the world, after all.