Minimalism is something I've become aware of in a variety of forms. I've seen it in the style of designers and the decoration of homes, I've heard it mentioned on some of my favorite shows about tiny house hunting, and very recently, I've seen it becoming a movement and lifestyle for people trying to maximize the value of their life not with materiality but with people and experiences. I've always appreciated the minimalist aesthetic with its simplicity and elegance, but after discovering the true meaning of the lifestyle, I think there is more to it than just visual appeal.

I watched a documentary recently, " Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things," made by two "minimalists" who have made this their lifestyle. The film brought to light the problems ingrained in American society that has us living to consume: living in habitual routines on the hunt for success. So many in this pursuit are left with a gaping void that this pursuit can't fill. Instead, we try to buy our way to happiness filling the hole with useless "stuff". We begin living for every paycheck and for the stuff we think we must consume. This stuff creates an illusion of what a perfect life should look like. The minimalists, however, point to a life where this isn't the ultimate goal. Where our lives don't have to be about things but can be about relationships and passion.

Many people look at minimalism as an extreme: people selling all their things, downsizing their homes, etc. It doesn't have to look like this. It can simply be us stepping back and taking our look at our lives to find the things that truly bring us happiness and value. Deep down, I think we are all looking for more meaning in our lives and we're not going to find it in the useless junk we keep buying.

Minimalism challenges us to no longer hide behind the things that our society has placed so much value on and start connecting with the present moment and with those around us. Take the lifestyle as you wish, maybe let it help declutter your life and get rid of some of those things you don't truly need. Maybe let it help you connect with friends and family on a deeper level that you have in some time. Maybe let it have you pursuing a passion you haven't had time for in the past. At the very least, let it open your heart and mind to a life that doesn't have to be ruled by society's standards of success or by the things society promotes as necessary. Consider a life full of meaning rather than one full of stuff.