Things That Matter

I recently finished the book "Things That Matter" by Joshua Becker. My husband and I have been practicing minimalism for that last 6-7 years. I hadn't read a minimalist book in a few years so I was excited to see what it was about. This book was a great reminder about why we chose this way of living.

"Things That Matter" is a book about simplifying your life, focusing on what truly matters, and finding fulfillment in the things that money can't buy. The main interest I had in this book was; the points about how freeing up space can lead to greater creativity. He talks about minimalism giving us more space to pursue your passion. As an artist, making space for creativity is so important to me. This book has opened my eyes to more ways minimalism can positively impact the life of a creative.

How can minimalism help with creativity?

1. Mental clarity: By reducing clutter in our physical spaces, we experience greater mental clarity, which can help us tap into our creative energy. For creativity to come out we need the space in our minds for it. By not just getting rid of things but cutting out tasks and people in our life that take away our energy, we're left with more mental clarity.
2. More time for creative pursuits: When we're not spending as much time managing our possessions, we may have more time and energy to devote to creative endeavors. In our house we got rid of our dining room and spare bedroom. These spaces were taking up time because we had to manage them (cleaning the items, organizing the items, and fixing the items). We decided to turn them into creative spaces. If we had to manage something it might as well be a creative space. Having dedicated spaces in our house for creative work means we naturally spend more time doing creative things.
3. Increased inspiration: Joshua Becker suggests that when we embrace minimalism, we may find inspiration in unexpected places. As we become more attuned to the beauty and simplicity in the world around us we discover new creative ideas. Since becoming a minimalist we have found the quiet and boring moments in our day bring the most creativity. We have more time for walks, gardening, and baking which gives our brains space to rest. This resting time is what help our brain process creative ideas.
4. Greater willingness to take risks: When we're not weighed down by excess possessions or the pressure to conform to societal expectations. We feel more comfortable taking risks and exploring new creative avenues. We've found that with less worries and stress we actually want to bring risk into our life. Recently my husband left his secure military job of almost 12 years. We created such a simple and secure life that it felt like a risk we could take on. This risk without minimalism wouldn't have been possible financially or mentally.

Overall, by reducing distractions, increasing mental clarity, and freeing up time and energy, minimalism can help us tap into our creativity and unlock new levels of inspiration. If you're interested in reading this book check out your local library for a copy. Our library on Vancouver Island even had the audiobook, which is my favourite way to read. The audiobook was relaxing and easy to listen to. I definitely recommend!

Read about the steps I use to help push back against negativity in this blog post.

Follow Your Creative Passion

Written by Megan ~ It can be challenging when others don’t see the value in something that you’re passionate about. But It’s important to remember...

Megan Josol ArtMegan Josol