A Different Kind of Minimalism: Not Less Life, Just Less Noise

Perhaps minimalism is not always about owning less. Sometimes, it is about carrying less.

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Do You Believe in Minimalism?

I do.

But probably not in the way Instagram wants me to.

My bookshelves are full.

My camera roll is overflowing.

And I still keep random things because they remind me of random days.

So clearly, I am not winning any minimalist awards.

But over the years,

I have become a minimalist in other ways.

I keep fewer grudges.

They’re heavy,

take up too much space,

and never match the decor.

I keep fewer expectations too.

Not because I don’t care,

but because I’ve learned that people are much happier

when they’re allowed to be themselves

instead of the characters we cast them as.

I try to keep fewer worries.

The future already has enough of its own.

It doesn’t need me rehearsing disasters

like I’m preparing for an audition.

And I’ve become very selective

about what gets permanent residence in my head.

Some thoughts are just tourists.

They don’t need property rights.

Nature seems to understand this better than we do.

A tree doesn’t grow extra leaves

to impress the tree next door.

A bird doesn’t compare its flight path

with another bird’s.

The sunrise never arrives and says,

“I hope everyone likes me today.”

It simply shows up and does its thing.

What confidence.

What freedom.

Maybe that’s the kind of minimalism I believe in.

Not fewer possessions.

Fewer pressures.

Not emptier rooms.

A quieter mind.

Not less life.

Just fewer things standing between me

and the life I keep forgetting to enjoy.

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✦ A Thought to Leave With

Perhaps growing older is not about collecting more and more.

Perhaps it is learning what deserves a place in our lives—

and gently showing the rest the door. 🌿

With love,

—Rajeshwari 🧿💕

© Nihshabd by Rajeshwari. All Rights Reserved