The goal of minimalism is to simplify our lives by getting rid of the unnecessary. All but the essential.
Minimalism makes us question the things in our life. If there is something we don’t need in our life, we eliminate it. As simple as that!
Whatever is unnecessary just clutters our life and gets in the way of happiness. By cutting down the unnecessary, we make space for the necessary and bring back the sense of peace and calm in our life.
I don’t consider myself a minimalist but I find the concept fascinating. I have been applying the principles of minimalism in my life by slowly decluttering my house and by trying to curb my spending habits.Till now, I have been thinking of minimalism only in terms of possessions and money. But minimalism can be applied to all areas of life.
Last couple of months were challenging for me and these are the times when you come to know who your true friends are. This made me think if I really need to keep all those so-called friends in my life.
Why can’t I apply principles of minimalism to friends & relationships?
It’s but natural to develop connections with coworkers or batchmates or people who are always there – even when they don’t add any value to our life and are more of a liability.
I have my share of fair-weather friends too. A friend who only calls in a couple of months only when he’s facing some problem and needs a shoulder to cry on, another friend who will call me to hangout only when nobody else is available, an ex-coworker who used to be sweet only on the face so that I give good reviews on her performance report and a few more.
It’s not that we don’t recognize such shitty relationships but we still hang on to them for various reasons. Sometimes for the sake of convenience, sometimes because we are not ready to let go and sometimes because we are too polite to tell them that they don’t deserve us.
But such relationships are dangerous. They take away our peace of mind. They grow the seeds of restlessness and bitterness in us. We expect fulfillment from the relationships which can cause us only pain & regret.
So now I have decided to eliminate all the unnecessary people from my life. If there is anything that can be done to fix the relationships then I am willing to take the chance. And if not, then I am ready to move on.
It’s difficult to grow apart from people whom you considered as friends but if someone’s just draining you and adding negativity in your life then it’s ok to let go.
Let go of all the relationships where you feel stuck and make room for the new. There are so many wonderful people out there to add meaning & value to your life, to support you, to uplift you, to appreciate your love & care.
Relationships that allow us to have fun, be happy & contribute in each other’s growth- these are the meaningful relationships we need. Nothing less, nothing more!
© 2017 Shaloo Walia All rights reserved
I just did a housecleaning with relationships. It is liberating! I am seriously considering selling my material possessions (I noonger) have an attachment to them) and living on the road just travelling across America.
Having less to tackle with, be it relationships or possessions, is liberating indeed!
I love the term – minimalist relationships! I am in complete agreement of all you say. It is an uncomfortable process but so much worth it – to create what really matters to us in this lifetime, we need to declutter in all areas.
Decluttering our relationships and decluttering our mind is as important as decluttering our home. It requires steady and consistent efforts.
Very true !
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Very well written shaloo. The minimalist way of living always makes life richer, gone are times when more the better, infact by choosing less we are getting our-self quality and also giving out the same to our surroundings.
Exactly! Less is more ?
I feel relaxed after reading this, some problems are same to many of us. Let me try to follow your advices
We all face more or less the same problems. Relationships are often a cause of concern because letting go is never easy.
I usually have a few close friends and choose to be around positive people. Our time is so limited. Great post.
Thanks ?