Minimalism Does Not Mean Lack

Fear of financial insecurity is one of the most debilitating, soul-crushing fears we can encounter in life. I know that is has brought me to my knees at times. But here’s the thing. It’s all in our heads.

Not having a 401K or a plush savings cushion or enough cash to fill up the gas tank isn’t the problem.

It’s the fear.

• The fear that our needs won’t get met, whether those needs have to do with satisfying the rent payment, mortgage bill, nice birthday dinner you want to join friends for or those new shoes.
• The fear that we’re not where we’re supposed to be.
• The fear that things will never change.
• The fear that we are our bank account… lacking.

And that fear makes us desperate and despairing.

Of course, we all know that the keys to solving financial insecurity are to increase income and decrease spending. We also know that the keys to losing weight are to eat less and exercise more.

Sound advice.

Simple.

But hell if it’s easy.

Because there’s that bitch of an emotional component: fear.

But what if we do some mental hi-jinx?

What if we embrace simplicity instead of ease? What if we train ourselves to get really excited about empty space instead of fullness? What if we create a new lexicon to describe our condition?

At this point, you may be thinking, what the hell is she talking about?

I’m talking about eradicating the conception of LACK from your life.

• If you can’t pay your rent or your mortgage, you get to discover a new home – a new horizon, new neighbors, new streets to explore. Mastin Kipp has some amazing things to say during his interview with Marie Forleo about the gift of living in an 8ft x 8ft rented room.
• If new shoes will take you over the edge, you choose to pamper yourself with a 15 minute foot massage and Epsom salt bath instead.
• If the cost of items on the menu at that restaurant your friends are going to for that birthday celebration has you hyperventilating, eat something before you go and revel in having great conversations without worrying about how to answer a question after you’ve just taken a slightly-too-big bite of the Chef’s Special.
• And, perhaps most importantly, announce your new adventure to the world. Share with friends and family your excitement about living lightly instead of worrying about what you don’t have. In my experience, they are happy to play along.

Here are a few ways my own life changed when I shifts away from the notion of lack:

My relationships took on a whole new depth and joy when I started cooking (barely edible) dinners for friends in lieu of hitting a restaurant or a movie. I discovered gorgeous details about my city when I started walking more and driving less. I was able to stay just as long in a coffee shop while drinking the small iced tea instead of the large, uber-customized liquid dessert. I fell out of my routine. I pushed through the discomfort of change. And it was glorious!

You wanna know another unexpected result of this shift? The actual financial insecurity about which I’d been so fearful diminished as well. Letting go let fulfillment come, including the monetary kind.

I promise you, choosing to live a minimalist lifestyle, to live with less and be excited about it, will pay more dividends than living for one more second with that feeling of lack. Fuck what your bank statement says. Screw what anyone else’s bank statement says. You truly have enough. You definitely are enough. Now, live.

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