This video is sponsored by Skillshare.
Would you believe me if I told you that owning less allows you to appreciate the things you have,
while also reminding you that you don't need much to be happy?
Would you also believe me if I told you that owning less
is much easier to accomplish than one would think?
There isn't a secret formula,
a set number of possessions you must stick to, or a mindset hack you must achieve.
Well, maybe there are a few.
However today I plan to share 10 practical ways to own less
that you can start implementing right away without overthinking.
Number one is Spend less.
There is a linear correlation between how much we spend and how much we consume and
own. So if you're looking to own less then you must spend less. But it doesn't stop there.
You still have to be intentional with the money you do spend.
This means setting goals, making meaningful purchase decisions, avoid buying off of impulse,
or it could be as simple as writing a shopping list and having a plan before you leave home.
Number two Want less.
If you want to own less, then you have to want less. Now learning how to want less,
is impossible to do until we fully understand why we tend to want more in the first place,
and generalizing an explanation for this isn't always fair right, because we're all different.
We each have different stories and backgrounds and reasons why we are the way we are. It's what
makes us unique. And while these things and ideas help shape our actions and our way of thinking.
I do believe that there's one thing we have in common that's driving this behavior of wanting
more that's separate from the idea of it being a natural fault of ours because we're human.
And that thing is Gratitude, or the lack thereof. See if we're not grateful for the things we have,
regardless of how much or how little it is. There will always be a void there.
A sense of dissatisfaction. An urge to buy and want more.
Number three is Dump the guilt.
Instead of feeling guilty because of how much money you spent, or how long
something has been a part of your life. Just remind yourself that you have paid enough.
Think about it like this. Let's say you've spent a significant amount
of money on somethinging and the thought of donating it is eating
you alive because you feel like you're giving away all of the money you spent.
Well not to be the bearer of bad news but the money is gone and you're not likely to get back
what you spent on it if you sold it. But if you continue to hold on to it with no intention of
using it, repurposing it, or displaying it; given that it's a piece of decor or something like that.
Then you're still paying for it. Just not with money, directly at least.
You're paying for it with your time. The time it takes to manage and the upkeep of this item.
You're paying for it with your space. The space it takes up in your home
that could be used for something else you value.
You're paying for it emotionally. Maybe your home feels cluttered and less peaceful every time you
look at it, but how much you spent keeps you from letting go yet it ends up costing you more.
Number four is Loosen your grip.
I've learned that the first step to letting go is loosening your grip. When you think about all of
the money you spent to purchase and protect the things you own. How much you spend to manage it,
like what we just talked about; be it with money, with time, with energy and emotion.
You'll start to recognize over time the true cost of owning things.
Of owning more. And when you discover that it then becomes easier to let go.
Remember stuff and things don't have hands. They're not holding on
to us. They're not emotionally attached to us.
We're the one with the tight grip. We're the one that has to learn to let go.
Number five is Experiment.
Now how much you own as a minimalist or as an aspiring minimalist doesn't matter,
mostly anyway. As long as what you own is serving a purpose in your life
and adds value because it supports what you value.
In fact, I talked about this idea in depth in a video I recently shared
titled *How Much Do You Really Need As A Minimalist* and I'll
leave a link to it down below in case you haven't had a chance to watch it.
See experimenting is all about challenging your beliefs around how much you think you
need in order to live a luxurious life. Maybe you limit yourself to 5 shirts and 2 pairs
of pants for one week, maybe two weeks. Just to see if you can do it. After all,
it's an experiment. It can only help you determine what enough is for you.
Number six is Be your own gatekeeper.
I've noticed through interacting with others, that we, as humans, we're quick to defend why we own
something. But we don't carry that same energy when it time to defend why we don't own something.
So my challenge for you is to change the pattern in this observation and become
your own gatekeeper. If something does not add value to your life
then don't give it the privilege of entering your life.
Number seven is Learn to uncommit.
Now, this idea has been expressed exquisitely by Greg McKeown, who is the author of a book
titled Essentialism. And he breaks this down using a term called the endowment effect.
And rather than repeat what he says, take a listen for yourself. Here's what
he says in his Skillshare class titled *Simple Productivity: How to Accomplish More With Less.*
There's a term for this particular kind of sunk cost bias, it's called the endowment effect.
The endowment effect is well established in the literature. It means that we overvalue something
simply because we own it. It's a good principle in the sense that you value your home because you
own it. That's good, you take care of it more because you own it. That's a good principle.
The endowment effect means that you have this project. You keep doing it,
just because it's yours.
So how do you get out of this?
You get out of it by asking, well really tricking your brain, by asking a different question.
And the question is: how much would I invest now to get into this project?
If I was starting right now,
how much would I pay for this project? How much would I pay for this opportunity?
It helps you to evaluate from its current value, not from what you originally
estimated, and not from overvaluing it because you have invested in it before.
Now there is something really interesting about the question he asked.
How much would I invest now, into this project?
Well, what if we replace "project" with stuff and things.
See many of us are holding on to things for the simple fact that we've previously invested
so much into it. So we're struggling with the idea of letting go;
of uncommitting, because of that previous investment.
But if we asked ourselves, how much would I invest now into this thing, or nicknack,
or clothes, or furniture, what have you. You'd probably have a much different answer.
So why not let it go.
Now you should definitely check out the rest of this class. It is awesome I'm
telling you. And in case you're not familiar with Skillshare they're an online learning
community with thousands of inspiring classes for both creative and curious people. You can
learn new things and new skills from business and productivity to life and essentialism.
But because you're a part of this community I'm giving away a 2 week free trial of a Skillshare
Premium Membership to the first 1000 people to click the link in the description below.
I'll also leave a direct link to this class as well so you can dive right in
without wasting any time.
Number eight is Let go of duplicates, but only where it makes sense.
I say this because I’m a firm believer that minimalism is not about living
without and if your life, or circumstances require you to have more than someone else
or more than one of something then that’s ok.
Letting go of duplicates is a suggestion that encourages intention,
not a rule that defines your values.
What I mean by that is whenever you come across duplicates in your
life ask yourself what are my intentions behind owning more than one of this item?
What purpose is this duplicate serving in my life?
And if you can answer that with a response that makes sense then keep it.
But if you can’t or if you just pulled an answer out of thin air
then I challenge you to challenge yourself on whether or not you need it.
Number nine is Declutter as you live.
It can be intimidating to think that you have to spend hours on hours
every day and every week decluttering your life. I mean who wants to always spend their
available time doing that. I don’t. There are a ton of things that I value and enjoy doing
that I want to make sure I have the time to do.
Which is why I now declutter as I live and I want to strongly encourage you to do the same.
Now yes if you’re just starting out on your journey or if you’re making an effort to try
minimalism again then it might take you an hour or two, or maybe a few days of highly
focused and intentional decluttering in order to build up some momentum.
But once that initial spark is lit and the ball is rolling, then you maintain that momentum
through simply decluttering as you live. It becomes a part of your daily routine, a habit,
second nature if you will.
As you’re getting dressed for example and you come across a shirt that you haven’t worn
in years. Don’t hang it back up; don’t stuff it in the back corner of your dresser drawer,
and don’t lie to yourself about wearing it next summer.
Just donate it. You’ll save yourself a ton of time down the road.
Number ten is Be more present in life.
Many of us if we're being honest, are not present in life like we should be
because we're distracted. Our focus is stuck in a tug of war between things and moments
that actually matter and things and moments that we mistakenly perceive to be important.
See deep down we know what it means to be present in life. But we've allowed distractions in life
to take over. To create roadblocks and hurdles that can easily be avoided through awareness.
Because only through self-awareness are we able to both understand ourselves
and know ourselves. And when we can get a solid grasp on this,
it becomes easier to change our consumption and spending habits.
If you enjoyed this comment below and let me know
which part of this conversation resonated the most with you.
Also, I have a playlist here all about how to get started with minimalism in case you're new to it.
Definitely check that out if you're interested.
Keep growing on your journey and always remember to stay true to you.
I'll see you in the next one.
Peace!