I’ve always been a bit of a minimalist. And I’ve worked in finance professionally yet struggled with handling my finances personally. Mindfullness? Well this is a new one for me.
What I noticed is that these three things – money, mindfullness, and minimalism – or the lack of them, are really the three biggest sources of stress or satisfaction, personal struggle or growth, family harmony or discord.
I originally started to write down my thoughts on minimalism, but realized that minimalism ties directly into these other significantly important parts of life, family, and wellbeing. These things all tie together, and are well-documented as significant sources of stress (personal, family, relationship) and areas for personal growth and improvement.
Look at the self-help isle.
We read about making more money, keeping more of what we have, investing it more wisely, and making sure there’s enough left over for the college, vacation, and the occasional emergency.
We read about finding contentment, satisfaction in our lives, gratitude with what we have, and maybe just a moment of peace from the constant internal chatter.
We read about making due with less, our society’s addiction to impulsive consumption, the toll on the environment of everything from plastic straws to throw away fashion.
However, I find that most of these conversations happen in their silos. Sure, money blogs talk about saving more, but how? Don’t drink that latte? Please.
Mindfullness blogs talk about meditation, finding peace within, and our approach to other people, our children, our communities. What about mindful consumption, mindful savings.
I found that minimalism actually crosses the money and mindfulness spectrums the most, but writers and speakers in this space don’t go far enough. They rightfully point out that adopting or at least moving towards a more minimalist lifestyle is more than throwing things away – that it requires a new relationship with consumption. This will lead to spending less, but now what. What exactly should I be doing with this savings.
Let’s all find out together.
Let’s explore the intersection of Money, Mindfullness, and Minimalism – these three forces that interweave to create a fabric of sanity, safety, and security in our lives.