The Joy of Minimalism. Zoey Arielle Poulsen

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      Copyright © 2018 Zoey Arielle Poulsen.

      Published by Mango Publishing Group, a division of Mango Media Inc.

      Cover and Layout Design: Elina Diaz

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      The Joy of Minimalism: A Beginner’s Guide to the Simple Life and the

      Pursuit of Happiness

      Library of Congress Cataloging

      ISBN: (print) 978-1-63353-689-0, (ebook) 978-1-63353-687-6

      Library of Congress Control Number: 2017959857

      BISAC category code: CRA005000 CRAFTS & HOBBIES / Decorating

      SEL016000 SELF-HELP / Personal Growth / Happiness

      Printed in the United States of America

      “Clutter is not just physical stuff. It’s old ideas,

      toxic relationships and bad habits. Clutter is

      anything that does not support your better self.”

      — Eleanor Brownn, Author of Mile 9

      Table of Contents

       I / INTRODUCTION

       II / HOW-TO

       III / The First Step

       IV / Take Action: Decluttering Steps

       V / Sorting Through the Piles of Your Life

       VI / MAINTENANCE

       VII / Helpful Tips for a Clean Home

       VIII / Gift Giving & Gift Receiving

       IX / Minimalist for Life: A New Lens

       Author

      

      INTRODUCTION

      An Honest Introduction

      I want to start off this book by saying thank you. Thank you for picking it up and giving it an honest chance. Perhaps you found me on YouTube and have been following me for a while, or this book somehow caught your eye at a bookstore, and for that I thank you. Everything happens for a reason, and I truly believe that if you are open to it, this book will change your life in a positive way (or hopefully in many ways)!

      At this time, the videos I post on YouTube about minimalism are the most popular on my channel. As a video gains momentum on YouTube, it is bound to be seen by an audience that is not necessarily your target, or in other words, not your “tribe.” My ideal audience/tribe is made up of positive self-improvement junkies, because hey, that’s me. YouTube trolls (or “haters”) can throw a lot of shade, but I hope that sharing my minimalism journey will help you do at least one of the following: diminish anxiety, make money, save money, declutter your home, declutter your mind, and most importantly, allow you to have more of life’s most precious resource: time—time to spend with family and friends, or to finally pursue the business endeavor you have always had on the back burner in your mind.

      I struggled for weeks and even months with trying to put together how I wanted to communicate my minimalism tips and journey in book form because of the backlash I have received on YouTube. Unfortunately, there will always be someone in the world who will disagree with you, but fortunately, the journey of minimalism and of life is all your own. As long as you are happy and fully content with the choices you are making on a daily basis, you are living an authentic life. I hope this book will expand your views and allow you to adjust or change your lens on how you view material items and your precious time and how you feel about them. By learning to let go and limit what you obtain, you will be able to gain more than ever imagined. I refer to this positive life gain as fulfillment.

      To me, minimalism and this book are about the concept of simplification in different areas of your life, such as your wardrobe or your home—making room for what matters most to you specifically. Minimizing my life has allowed happiness to come more easily on a daily basis, and I know that if you open your mind while closing the lid on your spending habits, it will do the same for you.

      Let’s get started!

      What is Minimalism?

      A journey.

      Minimalism is not living out of a suitcase, only owning a certain number of items, living in a tiny house, or only owning white furniture. Minimalism can certainly be these things, but is not limited to them. The journey of minimalism is about becoming conscious of the world around you, simplifying your life, and actively choosing to incorporate only the things in your life which bring you joy. Thus, this journey is unique to everyone.

      We are all different human beings and will always be different human beings. You may LOVE cilantro so much that you would plant a lawn of it in your front yard just so you could smell it every day, whereas your best friend may despise cilantro so much that if a stem found its way into her taco, the whole restaurant would know about it.

      You may love golden retrievers, yet your aunt may refuse to even pet dogs, though she owns twenty cats.

      Your younger brother may love video games, but you may strongly feel your eyes would burn out attempting to play with him for even fifteen minutes.

      We are all different.

      And that is okay.

      Our differences and uniqueness make the world go ‘round. How boring would life be if we all enjoyed the same things, partook in the same activities, and ate the same food?

      For your hypothetical friend’s sake, let’s hope that this kind of world would say “no” to cilantro.

      Minimalism