What Even is this "Minimalism" Thing?

Balance. Meditation. Yoga. How to lose weight. Being a 22-year old LDS college student. Positivity. How to be happy. Minimalism.

These are just a few of the ideas I’ve had over the past several months as I’ve considered starting my own blog. Today I found myself whining to my best friend, “But..everyone is starting blogs right now. It’s so trendy. All the millennials are doing it.” 

I have done nothing but think of excuses as to why I shouldn’t sit myself down and start writing.

Her response struck me, and moved me to finally start this blog of mine. She said, “Mel, there’s someone out there, maybe just one person, who needs to hear what you have to say. You’ve been talking about doing this for a while now, so do it.”

The Spirit has whispered to me time and time again, (like every Sunday for the past three months), that I should start a blog. But what would I even write it about?

The Gospel. Duh. It’s what makes me happy! It’s the easiest thing for me to talk about.

No, if I write about being LDS I’ll have far less followers than if I were to write about, say, being a college student and finding balance in life. So, I started thinking about non-gospel related topics that would catch people’s attention in this day and age.

That idea went out the door real quick. If I feel so strongly about my faith and want to share it with others, why would I hide it?

So then, I had an idea. Why don’t I talk about the things I love (listed at the beginning of this post) and find ways to tie them to the Gospel? I strongly believe that we can relate anything to the Gospel.

Sure, I could write a post about faith, and then another about repentance and so on and so on….or, you could, like, read the scriptures and learn a lot more than what I have to say.

But, as I have studied lately about minimalism, meditation, balance, taking care of our bodies, being positive, and all of that fun stuff, I have come to realize that these things can actually help us live our faith and help us live happier, more fulfilling lives.

We simply must realize that they don’t have to be separate. They can go together!

So, if you’re looking for a blog that will show you how to get a flatter stomach, maybe skip mine. Or, if you want to learn how to bake the best chocolate chip cookies, try Pinterest.

What you’ll get here are a few ideas on how to declutter your life and make room for the things that matter most. For me, those things are the Gospel, my relationship with the Lord, family, and my friends.

What I’m finding, though, is that material things are getting in the way of making these things real priorities in my life. So, I began studying minimalism after I got home from Mexico. After living with practically nothing for 18 months yet being so happy, I started making a connection. 

I realized that the phrase, “Less is more,” is SO TRUE. Seriously it’s true.

The less time I spend shopping, the more time (and money) I have to do things I enjoy. The less time I spend sulking about my problems, the more I serve others. The less crap I have lying around my room, the more time I can spend studying the scriptures instead of organizing my junk! Less truly is more.  

I’m excited to continue learning about how becoming a minimalist can help me grow closer to the Lord and avoid getting caught up in the distractions of the world. 

I have so many things that I want to talk about, but must save something for future posts. 

But, for everyone who reads this, I do have one small challenge for you. This week, find one thing that you can get rid of. Maybe it’s an old shirt you hate. Or maybe it’s the clutter on the kitchen counter. Don’t organize it- just get rid of it! In my next post we’ll talk about why.

FYI- This week I’m choosing to get rid of a pair of ugly pink capris that I wore once and HATE. If it  doesn’t serve a purpose or bring you joy, you simply DON'T NEED IT.

Until next time, just remember- “Minimalism. Because the best things in life aren’t things.”

Mel