“When there is no desire, all things are at peace.”*

A friend mentioned it on Facebook, search for it on Google, and you will drown in results, I’m looking at the piles of stuff that are filling my wardrobe and cluttering my desk, and I can’t help to think about throwing it all away, or giving it to someone who needs it, or even sell it to get rid of it. Minimalism seems to be on many people’s lips these days. Simplicity, quality-time, self-sufficiency and social justice are terms that go hand in hand.

The thought is appealing. It forms part of  a bigger picture, a faraway (?) dream of escaping the rat race and the kind of dependency it leads to. It’s about personal freedom and the possibility to be creative. It’s also about being kind to other people, the planet and the self. And yes, it’s also about spending the 70-80 odd years we (hopefully) have in the best possible way. 



Minimalism is not a big word but it consists of a lot of things. It’s the art of letting go of possessions, but I would also like to believe that it’s the art of maximizing the things that matter – appreciation for people, nature and creativity, a curious and open-minded life, health and balance, seeing and experiencing the world.  

The change does not need to be radical. It could be a question of little changes in everyday life, changes that we feel we can implement and stick to. The leap could also be huge. Whatever it looks like, it's personal. I, of course, have a pretty good idea of what the "good life" would look like (for me), otherwise I wouldn't be writing about this. Writing about the good life in a post about minimalism is possible because the good life has nothing to do with status, money or fancy stuff. It's something that's been on my mind for a while now. 


*Tao Te Ching – Lao Tzu