I watched “The Minimalists” documentary years ago, and then I read Mr Money Moustache’s blog furiously in 2019. But it wasn’t until the national lockdown that I noticed a massive shift in my consciousness. In all honesty, I would never want to go back to the mindset I had pre-lockdown.
When you start changing habits and shifting outdated beliefs, you might experience anxiety and think that you are depriving yourself of something, because you don’t spend money (new outfit, the latest phone, takeaways, etc.). Our mainstream culture is designed to make us feel disadvantaged the moment we don’t follow the crowd and own something besides debt. However, if in your heart and mind, you are only half convinced about your financial independence, or you think that small numbers cannot get you far on your way to financial freedom, you will struggle to make progress. Small numbers always add up, especially if you look at them over time. So, your daily and weekly spending matter enormously.
To make your financial independence a reality, you will have to go all in, not half-assing, like I was for years, satisfying my every wish and believing that I had to buy everything I wanted. My consumption was deceiving me. For a long time, I didn’t realise the impact of my mindless actions on future generations, or on my financial independence, which has always been a top priority for me, but I didn’t know how or where to start.
When you fully commit to financial independence and the sustainability of life, your mindset will start shifting, evaluating daily actions in much more sustainable categories: Do I need this, or do I just want to satisfy my ego?
If you see money only as a tool to consume more, you will fail to see that all the resources invested in overconsumption could be your ticket to financial independence and the real freedom it brings.
If you never buy what you don’t need, you aren’t only saving money for your independent future, but you are also helping preserve the Earth. The amount of goods our modern society buys is staggering. Changing your wardrobe yearly or four times a year, as the fashion industry will have us, isn’t only expensive but also incredibly harmful to the planet. To make one pair of jeans, from the production of the cotton thread to the delivery of the final product, 3,781 litres of water are needed. 3,781!!! That equals about 33.4 kg of carbon emissions, according to reports from the United Nations Environment Programme.
“The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of annual global carbon emissions, more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined.” (UNEP and Ellen MacArthur Foundation)
Let that sink in for a minute. With every unnecessary item you buy, you aren’t only getting closer to a poor house but also contributing to increased pollution and depriving future generations of clean air, food, and water.
If your mindset is stuck in the consumerism mode, you will need to put a lot of work into getting out of that trap. (I know I’ve been there and done that). You need to free your mind from the need to possess and spend everything you earn (or more). Having less and spending less doesn’t mean you are lacking. I know how social standards can easily manipulate even the most reasonable person into a big spender. However, spending consciously and buying only what you need means that your mindful actions will have a positive effect on Earth and the preservation of natural resources. Plus, owning less will allow you to refocus on what is more essential (crowded spaces = crowded minds).
Below I’m sharing with you a list of tips that I often remind myself of when I get in trouble (‘Shall I get this…?’, ‘But it’s on sale!’, ‘3 for 2! Wow, that is such a good deal…’ AHHHHHHHHH)
1. If you need to shop, or if you cannot stop yourself from shopping, simply avoid the shops. Do your food shopping online (if possible to get a slot) and only buy what you usually buy; don’t spend hours browsing the home section, the deals, etc. Do your weekly food shopping and log off.
2. When you go to the shops, make sure you have a list of what you need to buy and try never to buy anything that’s not on the list unless there are terrific deals on things you use regularly, in which case you can stock up a little.
3. Always make sure that whatever you buy, you need. Don’t purchase the 10th chopping board if you are still using the 1st one.
4. The more stuff you have, the more storage you will need to keep it all. Look at people living in tiny houses; they have very little crap lying around.
5. I usually don’t carry credit cards with me and only use a debit card where I have a limited amount of money available. It works perfectly for me because I’m not tempted to buy what I don’t need.
When your mindset finally starts shifting towards thoughts of financial freedom and sustainability of life, you will be able to begin experiencing feelings not tied to how much you need to have or how much you don’t have. Overconsumption often equals a massive collection of debts, and those cause stress, anxiety, poor health and many other diseases that stress is linked to.
When you start shifting your mindset towards sustainability and a minimalistic lifestyle, the changes you will experience in life will come naturally and will shower you with happiness like you never thought was possible. You will be able to find joy in everyday life, in small pleasures such as walking, talking to your neighbours, or eating a delicious home-cooked dinner with your family.
PS. I’m #MadeByDyslexia – expect big thinking & small typos.
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