What came first: minimalism or authenticity?

I'm awkward. I make mistakes. I say too much. Sometimes I don't say enough. I get moody, but I don't take it out on others. I get sad, but I don't take it out on others. I worry. I hope. I get excited. I'm passionate. I'm loving. I'm strong. I'm fragile. I give in. I give up. I get up and try again. I'm curious. I'm intelligent. I have so much yet to learn. I trust - sometimes too quickly. Sometimes I don't trust enough. I've lied. I'm usually honest, even when it's not to my advantage. I'm quirky. I'm sincere. I'm eager. I'm timid. I over-think. I'm insightful. I'm authentically me.

What does this have to do with minimalism and my journey to simplicity? Everything!

Letting go of stuff, material or immaterial, forces you to face things. Face your fears, insecurities, hopes, disappointments, dreams, nightmares or whatever else that made you hold on to all of it for so long.

I used to be embarrassed about certain aspects of my personality. I've tried before to suppress some of it to fit in, to be accepted, to please, to be wanted. Sometimes, I suppose I still do to some extent. But the funny thing is, when I let go and I'm really myself, the response I get from others is actually so much better. I find that I am becoming more and more accepting of who I am - warts and all. I wish I could have come to this realisation much sooner in life. But what's happened in the past can't be changed. It can be accepted and forgiven. And because I'm usually harder on myself than on others, it's mostly about being accepting and forgiving of myself.

So what if sometimes I'm a goof and I mess up. So what if I fall. So what if someone makes fun of me for putting myself out there so much. I'm quirky and I know it. The people who love me, love me. They know me. I've shown them me. The people who don't love me probably never will no matter what I do. I've still shown them me. What else can I do, I'm authentically me.

Accepting and letting go of things material and immaterial has truly been helping me live a simpler life. Not necessarily easier, but simpler. It's interesting how letting go of the stuff has helped me become more authentic. Or was becoming more authentic the reason I was able to let go of all the stuff?...

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