These Are Signs You Are Becoming a Minimalist

When I first discovered minimalism, I was excited to change my life, and expected an immediate transformation.

In reality, it has been a slow and gradual process that has been unfolding over the past three years, and of course it is still a work in progress.

Evaluating our priorities, adjusting our habits, and decluttering both our physical and mental spaces takes time.

However, lately I have been noticing signs that tell me that I am on the right track, and I want to share these today.

2. You are good at prioritizing

We do not have infinite resources, and ignoring this simple fact leads us to always feel exhausted and never have time for myself.

Adapting to a minimalist mindset challenged me to start prioritizing. I now know what is essential to me, like my health, values, family, friends, and my peace of mind.

This directly affects my decision making, helping me navigate this chaotic life and set boundaries.

3. You say no more often

Speaking of boundaries, if you do not draw your own, someone else will do it for you. This leads to burnout and exhaustion, which is why it is crucial for us to know where to draw the line. I realized that by saying yes to everyone else, I am saying no to myself.

Once I figured out that I only have a limited amount of yeses, I had to start eliminating. I said no to coffee dates, new commitments or projects, and weekend hangouts.

At first, that fear of missing out made me feel like I am giving up on opportunities, but I realized that a lot of it was just in my mind.

A simpler and less chaotic life has been so worth the trade-off.

4. You are not influenced by marketing or sales

In the beginning of my whole minimalism journey, I had to unsubscribe, unfollow, and skip ads, because I would always feel tempted to buy those things.

As a minimalist, it barely ever gets to me anymore. Marketing is supposed to make us feel like we need this product to make our lives easier, better, or healthier, but the truth is that this chase is never ending.

No one knows our lives, needs, and budgets better than we do. Now I do not let outside influence dictate how I spend my resources.

If I walk by a cute boutique, gift shop, souvenir shop, I just look and appreciate it for what it is.

5. You do not compare your life to others

Nowadays, with social media, it is too easy to go down the rabbit hole of comparing ourselves to everyone else. I would be lying if I said that I do not do that, but I notice that I do not live my life based on those comparisons anymore.

I never could be genuinely happy for others until I stopped weighing myself against their markers. But the more I understand my own values, vision for life, the more I realize that there is no point in comparing, because we all have our own joys, priorities, and timing in life.

Human mind is so weird – sometimes we are envious about things we do not even want. In those moments, I always count my blessings and practice gratitude. This has become my reset button and given me inner peace.

6. You do not hesitate to spend on meaningful purchases

One of the biggest misconceptions about minimalism is that it is all about spending as little as possible. I believe, however, that some purchases can really enhance our lives and even help the people that we love.

For me, the focus has always been about spending more intentionally. I pay for friends and family when we go out because it makes me happy, I save up to buy quality ingredients because food is everything to me, and I never hold back on investing in my health, safety, and overall well-being.

Yes, I spend way less now, but I do not hesitate to spend on what truly aligns with my values.

7. You do not rely on material things for happiness

It took years to unlearn the paradigms of a very materialistic culture that teaches us that money is happiness, and figure out what happiness actually meant.

Now I realize that we can be happy all the time, many times throughout the day, if we choose to. I am happy when I have some free time, when I can connect deeply with others, or when I am doing something I love.

Material things can also make me happy, like drinking coffee in my favorite mug, or stepping out of the house in a nice outfit.

However, I do not rely on material things for my happiness anymore.

8. You feel in control of your life

Minimalism has made me feel like the driver of my own life. By simply decluttering and getting rid of the unnecessary, I learned to decide for myself, and figured out what I want and what I do not.

Since then, I started to apply this concept to all areas of my life. This has been more than life changing. Of course, not everything in life is under our control, but shifting my focus to the things that are has been a powerful tool for me.

Signs you are becoming a minimalist

It has been amazing to feel the calmness and encouragement that these changes have brought me. I hope that this article has inspired you to follow the path of minimalism, too.

Do you identify with the signs above? What are some other ways you have found that minimalism has affected your life? Share in the comments!