Growing up, I actually use to be a collector. I mean a rugged collector. Then I can remember our house will be filled with so much of random things filled with a lot of things whether they are still useful or not useful but most of them are not actually useful any longer as then. But well, my constant habit will just to be to keep adding them.
But as life always impact you to make a change forward, I begin to think to think of a change. I cannot actually continue keeping materials in my house like they will be the one that will save me from something. So I finally embedded the world of minimalism and I started begin to work upon myself. Well when I first started, it was going quite well as I was actually letting go of something that I did not need any longer but at the end of the day, I was not expecting that it will affect my spiritual journey and mindset.
There is this particular feeling as a Nigerian that when you go for a Nigerian wedding and you see that they begin to get jollof rice, that mindset that "if I did nor get my plate right now, This might pass me by". I must confess that is how I actually use to feel about the material things. Sometimes I will hold on to something's in my house because of this mindset that I might need the material later. But I have actually come to discover that most of the time, I eventually did not make use of that particular thing.
The first time I started decluttering, the first thing I need to deal with is my emotional attachment to materials possession. Actually I was thinking it will not be a big thing not untill I need to let go of the habit of stalking stuffs I did not need again. The first is to start with my wardrobe starting with my clothes. I begin to filter out some of the jeans that didn't actually fit me any longer then to other materials. As if, the heavens opened, I begin to feel more lighter and lighter.
I begin to realise that the more I decluttered, the more I begin to see it is not really about me just clearing my physical space but also begin to make room for my spiritual growth. One of the most important things I will say minimalism has taught me is the fact that the more I let go of material things, it begins to make room for me for more important things and then I begin to feel an inner peace I wasn't used to then.
Talking about the spiritual growth aspect, way before, my spirituality has just been more of routines instead of real deep connection practice for me and I will say one of the major reasons is that I have just been so much ambitious to just chasing after money and money. But after practicing decluttering, it gives me more clarity. I begin to feel more mental space for me to be able to think, to pray and meditate.
The more I focused less on acquiring things, I begin to feel the inner peace and my inner self. I begin to see the need to be close to God much more even at the expense of pursuing money. Before I know it, I begin to be more concerned about my own spiritual growth.
Minimalism really change my mindset positively. Growing up and as Nigerian I am, I have always believed in just pursuing after more and more and more. But there was a change in mindset that going after more every single time at the expense of what is important to me much more than the more I am going after is a disaster. It has been a massive game changer for me. Now don't get me wrong, I am not saying you should start throwing away your belongings tomorrow. No that is not what I am trying to say. What I am trying to say is you seeing the need to let go of excesses and give priority to that which is important in your life