10 Things I Say No to as a Minimalist

1. No to negative or draining people

I say no to negative people or people that drain my energy. If they are somebody that is all about them, all consuming, all quite negative in every conversation that we have, I will not go out of my way to spend time or effort with them.

I generally have cut people off like that before because it's just not been helpful for me, especially if I've been in a difficult mental state at the time.

Negative people can diminish my mental health so I'm quite conscious of that. I try my best to have a positive attitude, and if others can’t see it that way then I will not prioritize them in my life.

2. No to working as hard as I can

I will not go above and beyond anymore. I used to do that in every single job, all the time, and I just find that it's not recognized or appreciated and it's unnecessary to a degree.

In my job, I'm expected to go above and beyond all of the time and I find that quite exhausting. So I do what's essential, what's necessary, what gets the job done, and I still put passion into things, but I will not go above and beyond like I used to.

3. No to things that make me uncomfortable

I say no to situations, events, and social activities that make me feel uncomfortable. I know my limits, boundaries, and when I can push them. I'm happy to try new things, but if it makes me feel uncomfortable, I will not put myself in that situation again.

4. Fast fashion

I need to know that my clothing can suit several different occasions, that it can be dressed up or down, or that it can be accessorized in different ways, and fits within a color scheme I like.

I choose staple items rather than anything with a fancy logo or any complicated patterns. I'm quite muted in my choices now so that it's easier to build and maintain a capsule wardrobe that I know really well so it’s easier to manage.

5. No to wanting everyone to like me

This was a really challenging thing to give up. I've always been somebody that wanted to please others, say yes to everything, and make sure that everybody else is okay.

But I refuse to do that anymore. I'm never going to get everybody to like me and that's okay. I think I always expected that I had to fit in or do everything for everybody else. But that’s not realistic. I'm quite happy with my group of friends and I don't feel the need to invite lots of new people into my life.

6. No to free stuff

It's so easy to be given free stuff, like toys for kids or clothing. I only say yes to free stuff if I actually need it. I'm quite happy to say no to stuff because I have worked really hard on controlling the amount of things that come into my house. I don’t want to add things that will not be used or that someone else may need.

7. No to social activities that I don’t want to do

This links with number 3. I'm very conscious about what I select to put into my schedule, so I will only do things that make me happy. I think this helps me to focus on key relationships and friendships without complicating things with busyness all of the time.

8. No to keeping up with trends

I don't buy the latest gadgets or technology. I have had my laptop for years now and it still works. Why change something that isn't broken?

Saying no to trends saves me a lot of money and time worrying about these things. I will get something new when it works for me and not when other people think I should have it.

9. No to notifications

I do not like having my phone buzzing all of the time. I only let messages and calls come through and anything else is completely switched off. I like to have the freedom and control over when I get notifications. It feels freeing, calm, and less distracting.

10. No to a busy schedule

I do not want to have my days or weekends absolutely choked with activities. I used to want to be busy all of the time but now I find that quite overwhelming.

Now I appreciate my rest time and self-care time. I'm trying to find a good balance between being busy and downtime, without overcomplicating my schedule.

Things I say no to as a minimalist

So those are the 10 things that I say no to as a minimalist. Doing this helps me feel like I have a calm and considered daily life.

Let me know what things that you say no to, it could be that you say no to duplicates, it could be that you say no to buying certain things, I'd love to know, let me know in the comments.