Stress is a KILLER.
You know that. You’ve most likely daydreamed about the days when stress is a thing of the past.
Some people stress about absolutely everything, and then some people stress about only the big things. No matter your “dosage” of stress, it’s relatively crippling.
That’s why today’s article is all about completely clearing stress from your life for good…
To clear the stress, we first must understand where it’s coming from. And there’s been a common theme from people I’ve been talking to lately…
I’ve found that people tend to deal with the stress and hardships in their life by filling it with material possessions.
These “items” can take the form of just about anything; a new car, more shoes, another addition to the home movie collection… the list goes on.
What people don’t understand is that these purchases only serve as a temporary distraction that adds clutter to their lives.
If you’re currently dealing with ongoing stress, there’s a good chance that the underlying issue is stemming from the trappings of the consumerism culture that you’ve bought into.
Whether you realize it or not, the natural cure for these stressors is to rid yourself of this accumulated clutter and cut ties with the items that aren’t purposeful.
That’s why I’m here to remind you of the mental health benefits that come along with practicing a minimalist lifestyle.
YES, you can naturally reduce stress by simply removing material possessions that aren’t adding any true value to your life.
Sounds a bit ridiculous, right? But it’s true!
Ask yourself: what is the goal that you wish to achieve during your time on this Earth?
I’m sure it’s not a stretch to answer by saying that most people want nothing more than to find happiness. And that’s EXACTLY what minimalism can help you do!
After all, the pursuit of happiness is not through “things”, but through life itself.
So, why would you focus on these material possessions instead of living life to the fullest?
Unnecessary possessions act as dead weight for your journey in life. You’ll find that freeing yourself from this added baggage is an empowering act that offers a sense of control.
Humans didn’t evolve to acquire junk and hoard it for themselves. We’re intellectual, complex creatures who were designed to pursue a purposeful driven life of fulfillment and freedom.
But these material possessions can cloud your perception and steer you away from what’s important.
Just to put it all into perspective, Americans spend approximately 1.2 TRILLION DOLLARS per year on nonessential goods (i.e. items they do not need).
These items, which average around 300,000 per American household, go on to clutter homes, until it’s decided that additional storage is needed, and a bigger home is purchased or an offsite storage facility is invested in.
These numbers alone show the extent of excessive consumption and unnecessary accumulation.
There’s no wonder why it’s detrimental to mental health and directly related to stress. It would be impossible to keep track of every single one of these items!
In fact, studies show that people spend a total of 3,680 hours or 153 days of their life searching for these misplaced items.
Just imagine the amount of stress you could alleviate if you didn’t have to waste time frantically rummaging through your belongings.
It’s proven that the physical possessions you own have a direct correlation to stress levels. This just confirms that the things you own will eventually start to own you…
Fortunately, the solution is not difficult. The invitation to own less is an invitation to freedom that is available through adopting a minimalist lifestyle.
You can naturally de-stress by sifting through your possessions and liquidating those “things” that don’t add any worth to your life.
This process will differ from one person to the next, just remember to be honest with yourself when determining what should stay or go.
It may be hard at first, but you’ll soon discover that clipping away the needless items from your life is a relieving process that gives you the ability to take control and focus on the things that really matter.
If things feel as if they’re on the verge of boiling over and you’re in need of some alleviation, then it’s time to wash away the added stress that comes along with materialism.
Downsize the clutter in your life and see the immediate effect it can have on your health and overall mentality.
