More and more people are becoming minimalists (including celebrities) and enjoying life more thanks to having and doing less.
The best thing is that a simpler lifestyle not only makes you happier and peaceful but also contributes to looking better and saving the planet.
Here are 6 ways you can experience these benefits once you begin choosing less over more:
1. Happiness affects age and beauty.
Did you know that our level of happiness affects the way we age? Yes, multiple studies have proven that happier people are not just more successful, but look and feel younger and are more beautiful.
When you choose minimalism, you’re guaranteeing yourself a happier future. That’s because possessions only cause trouble and make our lives more complicated.
When we learn how to live with less, we have room for new experiences, can breathe freely and let go of many burdens related to the materialistic mindset.
In addition, minimalism helps you reassess your priorities. You understand who you are and what matters, you define your values and take actions based on them, you stop doing the things that bring you to stress and instead only do what makes you happy. As a result, you reach an inner state of satisfaction and harmony.
Feeling good and doing well then affect how you look. Others will see you’re more energetic and positive. Your skin glows and there’s a sparkle in your eyes.
What’s more, you smile more often. All these make you more attractive too.
2. Spending less will make you a better citizen of the world.
Once you embrace minimalism, you’ll start spending less money on things you don’t need.
That usually begins with transport (many people are much happier after selling their car, and others enjoy the benefits of replacing any other form of transportation with biking). If you do that, you stop contributing to urban pollution.
You will walk more often and can get a bike. This way you won’t release emissions and will be fitter than ever. What’s more, that gives you a chance to explore your city and see it from another perspective.
3. Owning less stuff is better for the environment.
Minimalists get rid of the things they don’t need and stop buying items unless necessary. They also shop wisely and buy groceries in bulk.
Overconsumption is bad for the planet. Buying more than we need also leads to increasing the amount of plastic waste, which harms animals, plants and humans.
Once you start living more simply, you consume less. As a result, you do less damage to the environment.
4. The tiny home trend is eco-friendly.
Most people take a big mortgage just because they can. But in the long-run, they don’t have any savings and can’t have the standard of living they’d like.
A small home, however, costs less. In addition, it’s the environmentally-friendly way to go about owning a home and is something more and more people are doing these days.
You learn how to make the most of the space you got. A small home also means reducing your energy consumption.
5. A minimalist mindset makes you pay more attention to your health.
Another great outcome of this is that you start taking better care of yourself.
Minimalism means not worrying too much about things that aren’t important and instead focusing on what is. That includes your health, values, the people you love, etc.
You also realize that ditching bad habits and building new, healthy ones makes you feel good about yourself.
Minimalism encourages people to try new sports and do things outside, such as jogging, walking, cycling, hiking, and more. You build skills, spend time in nature, breathe fresh air, and stay in shape.
This, together with eating well and having a good night’s sleep, is also what helps you look great, be full of energy and live longer.
6. You become more confident.
Here’s another amazing benefit for those living with less: because they are self-reliant and independent and feel good about themselves thanks to helping the environment and not needing much to survive and be happy, that also increases their self-esteem.
According to most experts, confidence is one of the most attractive traits in a person. How comfortable you are in your skin is often even more important than how you actually look.
That’s how minimalism can completely transform your life and mindset and help you save time and money, but also help the environment. And who knows, maybe thanks to its benefits related to looking better, you can also improve your relationships, beat social anxiety, and find the perfect partner sooner.
Sarah Williams is a self-development writer who is passionate about living a healthy, sustainable lifestyle. She’s also a total nutrition freak, who believes that true happiness comes from taking care of your body and having great relationships. Visit Wingman Magazine to read more of her insights.