Begin your minimalism journey by asking yourself how your life might improve with less, as this clarifies your personal ‘why’ and helps the ‘how’ take care of itself.
Remember to love people and use things, rather than loving things and using people, as this reverses a common societal tendency and guides your values.
Engage in external decluttering as a catalyst to address and resolve internal clutter, such as mental burdens, emotional attachments, or toxic relationships.
Regularly reflect on the phrase ‘I have enough,’ noticing resistance and finding moments (e.g., a breath, a sip of water) where you genuinely feel sufficient in the present.
Observe the arising of craving and desire (e.g., an itch) and the impulse to satisfy it, without judgment, to understand its mechanics and gain agency over which impulses to follow.
Engage in relationships with ‘open palm’ intimacy, loving and supporting others without possessive attachment or conditions, allowing for true connection without holding on tightly.
Determine your actual priorities by observing how you spend your time and energy, rather than relying on stated ’lip service priorities.’
Establish clear boundaries in your professional and personal life, such as defining work communication hours, to protect personal time and enhance well-being.
Regularly evaluate every possession you own and new items you consider bringing into your life, keeping only what serves a purpose, increases tranquility, or enhances your experience.
Approach consumption and entertainment deliberately, making conscious decisions that align with what is truly best for your life, rather than stopping entirely.
Pack all your belongings as if moving, then unpack only what you need over three weeks; this extreme method reveals true priorities and excess possessions. If too extreme, start with one room and ensure all family members are on board.
Partner with someone to progressively declutter: one item on day one, two on day two, and so on, for 30 days, to build momentum and remove approximately 500 items.
Choose to refrain from a specific substance or experience (e.g., music, alcohol) for a set period (a week or month) to investigate your relationship with it and observe internal experiences.
Pack away items you’re unsure about into a box, store it for a month, and then re-evaluate if you truly needed or missed those items.
Recognize that constant busyness often indicates a lack of control and a need for simplification, rather than a sign of productivity or success.
Undertake significant life changes like minimalism or renunciation through a gradual process, developing a ’taste for letting go’ through small steps and observing the benefits.
Understand pleasure by acknowledging its gratification, investigating its limits and dangers (e.g., impermanence, addiction), and then seeking freedom from the cycle of chasing it.
Do not pursue simplicity through self-mortification, denial, or repression; instead, acknowledge pleasure without attachment, rather than suppressing it.
Release the ego-driven impulse to give unsolicited advice or convince others; instead, simply speak your truth and allow others to find value in it without attachment to their acceptance.
Find freedom and peace in the awareness of the present moment, rather than in past achievements or future aspirations.
Move your attention from the transient ‘actors and props’ (thoughts, desires, external events) on the mind’s ‘stage’ to the underlying awareness of the ‘stage’ itself, to find freedom from being consumed by mental content.
Understand that a constant craving for more (e.g., cash, clout, cars) leads to perpetual dissatisfaction and misery, as you will never have enough.
Do not chase results tied to replicating the past or a hypothetical, non-existent future, as this leads to suffering and prevents uncovering peace in the present.
Examine your relationship with pleasure to avoid reinforcing an addictive pattern of satisfying desires, which ultimately cannot fill a deeper void.
Sincerely and regularly ask yourself ‘What’s enough?’ regarding your consumption and needs, especially considering its global impact, to guide changes in your lifestyle.