Less is Essential to More | The Let Go

~ Anonymous

We are conditioned to add to our lives.

The first trimester of life is about the acquisition of knowledge and stuff. Initially, from our family unit then, we go to school to fill our minds with information. We listen to friends about what to believe and are molded on how to be. We are guided to want the things that we think we should have. We buy our first car, some their first home, and fill it with stuff we like. We are the target group for consumerism, and our minds are malleable to ideologies.

We often upgrade to better cars, homes, and things in the second trimester. We make to-do lists filling up each hour, adding more to our lives. We know so much more than we did but continue to read the best self-help books to add more good habits to everything we have learned to do and how to be.

Then in the third trimester and beyond, we arrive at a saturation point. It is here we begin to lessen from what we have previously added. We begin to let go, undoing and unlearning what we have fiercely held on to.

Less becomes more.

Things don’t equal happiness. Nor does being overly busy, working crazy hours, or socializing nightly. Often those pressures make us feel overwhelmed, stressed, and anxious. We yearn to get away from it all, so we take vacations, have spa days, and some turn to alcohol and drugs to take the edge off.

What if we created a life that allowed for more joy?

The process begins by reviewing the significance of everything we think is important and seeing how meaningful those things are to our well-being and happiness.

Then examining what we have instead of what we perceive we lack, we often realize that we have plenty.

This concept pertains to the stuff we surround ourselves with and the thoughts that govern our behaviors.

Too often, we think we can solve problems with a purchase. With more of the latest and greatest, we can find pleasure, victory, and delight, yet the possessions we acquire rarely give us lasting bliss.

Many are thrilled to add a new habit, adopting the latest fad that will miraculously transform our lives. Yet, instead of adding more, we can make room by removing many bad habits and replacing them with one or two healthy ones.

Taking on less is a gift we give to ourselves. Learning that saying no is ok, not taking on more responsibilities is a choice, and feeling obligated lessens because we understand that’s a choice too. Pushing ourselves to excel to the point of exhaustion is contrary to what we strive to achieve, so reducing our self-imposed bars of achievement can often award us a life filled with more serenity.

Money is a prominent place we can use the less is more concept. Sure, it’s great to make more of it; however, spending less and acquiring less debt will boost our finances, allowing us to have more in our pockets.

Communication is my favorite place to pare down; using fewer words but the specific ones that communicate the story.

Regularly adding elements to our lives is not without a price. If this behavior is left uncontrolled, it may result in debt, weariness, burn-out, physical and mental illness, unhealthy behaviors, and overall tension.

Yet, letting go of what creates stress gives us more clarity of mind. Removing the nonessentials provides more space, and letting go of old ideas allows new creative ones to flourish; having less of what makes us unhappy allows for more room for what gives us contentment.

Although minimalism is not for everyone, creating space, whether it is in the physical, emotional, or spiritual realms, is a beginning to having a more satisfying and healthy life. Creating a life we don’t need a vacation from is creating that life that energizes us, empowers us, soothes us, and gives us satisfaction.

The more pressure we have, the more stressed our lives are. However, when we have those things that bring significant value to our lives and let go of those that don’t, we will find more time, clarity, and peace of mind. So choose to do less, plan less, schedule less, and stress less.

Where are you going to start?

In the first half of life, we act like painters. We splash the canvas with color creatively and energetically. In the later part of life, we should work as sculptors- chipping away the marble to remove unnecessary things from life. ~ Unknown

Originally published at https://www.theletgo.com on April 17, 2022.