Minimalist living

WITH A NEW year upon us, people of all ages will take time to consider positive changes that they want to make in their lives. Although goal setting can occur on any given day, this milestone moment offers the symbolism of a new era of possibility.

In recent years, the concept of minimalism has gained popularity.

By definition, a minimalist lifestyle involves identifying the essentials of life and developing the courage to eliminate everything else.

The ultimate goal of minimalism is to remove unnecessary distractions, trappings and costs while placing focus on the pursuits and ideals that matter most.

For tweens and teens, applying the principles of minimalism can have profound and beneficial effects. Young people are inundated by images of excess and frivolity, irresistibly packed by consumer-driven forces. In addition to adding to the distractions that they must contend with, many of the aspirational tokens of modern adolescent life are expensive, fragile and rapidly replaced by newer versions. In all, they represent a vicious cycle of allure, spending, boredom and urgency to upgrade to the next edition.

For young people, it is difficult to look past the multiple “must-haves” that are presented to them. They are simply difficult to resist.

With so many distractions around them, teens often find it challenging to create time and space to enjoy the simple things in life. Including quiet time alone, connecting with nature, reading, exploring creativity or quality time with loved ones. Young people frequently confuse mindless scrolling on social media and “relaxation,” and are unaware of the subliminal exposure to consumer forces which then drive their cravings and spending.

While it may not be easy to completely overhaul their lives to fit the idyllic minimalist, who survives on the very bare-bones basics, there are some suggestions that parents and young people may consider to scale down the pace and clutter of their lives through adopting some minimalist living principles.

Model simplicity. The old adage “less is more” certainly rings true. As parents the first step is to demonstrate to young people that they cannot only survive but thrive by living a more simplistic life. By taking time to cleanse your homes of non-essentials, parents show young people the many things that they have outgrown, no longer use or were sometimes never used.

Donate and support others in need. As a natural extension to decluttering spaces, get young people involved in the actual donation of items to those who can most benefit. Many parents take the time to support charitable work, but their teens simply see boxes of items disappear from their homes. By engaging them in the process they benefit from that tangible experience of seeing where these items go and helps them to reflect upon things they may take for granted but not actually need.

Show them costs and budgets. Young people are aware that nothing in life is free. In fact it is the goal of many modern youth to start their own small money-making pursuits. The consumer-driven industry has that positive impact on young people who have the entrepreneurial spirit. However, it is still important for young people to physically engage in the costs of items and recognise the attempting to keep up with every single trend does not make financial sense.

Help them become idealistic. Perhaps the primary benefit of minimalist concepts lies in the understanding that we largely acquire wants and not needs under the guise that they will lead to happiness. This is simply not always true. Through teaching young people that true happiness arises from fulfilment, contribution and connection to the people and world around them, they learn that it is rarely found through purchasing for oneself.

With this as a guiding principle, young people can learn to distinguish requirements from entertainment and thus find ways in which they can create more joy within their lives, which translates to more positive outcomes for their future.