Less is More

Let’s talk about attachment and a word that seems to be a growing trend these days, #minimalism. Changing my mindset by practicing these concepts have helped keep me grow more mentally and financially #healthy. In yoga, we practice the concept of #nonattachment, or non- gripping. Having attachments in life tends to breed drama and stress. It seems a simple thing. Okay, less stuff. It’s not just the stuff. It’s attachments to thoughts, ideas, our ego, the way you think things are supposed to be, relationships, and habits good and bad.

click for my #instagram post about #simplicity

It’s hard not to get attached to material things, especially when everywhere you look there are advertisements for more and new. We wake up and go to bed with them. We’re trained to believe we need external sources to make our internal selves better. Take away the attachments to all the external stuff and suddenly there is a lot less comparing, jealousy, and self- deprecation for not having, being, or looking the best. This frees up our attention to focus on things that really matter. Less time thinking about what you look like, or how new your shoes are. More time questioning what your hobbies are. More time thinking about what makes you passionate to be alive. More time spent connecting with people in your community. Less time judging others. More time learning, loving and living. Those are just a few things that I GOT from practicing minimalism.

Whether you find mindfulness through yoga, or some other way, having awareness of your emotions and thoughts are a huge catalyst for changing any habits or thought patterns. As I mentioned before, if you’re experiencing a lot of drama and stress in your life, this is can be a huge sign that you have too much of SOMETHING in your life. This is why non-attachment and minimalism almost go hand-in-hand. Whether it’s too much “stuff”, too many plans, too many accounts, too many to-do’s, or too many thoughts. Since we are living, breathing humans, our stress will fluctuate and change as we do. This is why I like to have a set of “tools” at my disposal.

Meditation is number one! Whenever I find myself stressing, I like to check in with my thoughts through a few minutes of meditation. Usually, this clears up things that are important or not important for me, almost like a mental reset button. If I catch myself thinking that something new will somehow make my life better, I like to ask myself a few questions, which serve as my other minimalist “tools”. “Do I actually NEED this?” “Does this serve more than one purpose for me?” “Is the money I’m going to spend on this worth more than my goals of X, Y, and Z?” “If I’m considering buying this new item, is there something I already own that is not satisfying me?” “Is there something I own that I can donate, to make this purchase more purposeful?”

At the end of the day, it’s up to you how honest you want to be with yourself when answering these questions. Just like anything you do in life, the more effort you put in, the more results you will get back. Prioritizing your mental and financial health isn’t always easy at first, but it’s a life-upgrade for sure! I know I've come a long way, but I also have a long way to go. As always, reach out with any questions! Wishing you all more peace and experiences, and less “stuff”!

Love, Kari