I successfully made it through to the end of the Minimalist Game. Along the way, I learnt about change and momentum – how starting small can make a big difference.
The final days
I really felt the heat from day 25 onwards as I worked to reach my daily goal. However, I managed to power on through. With three weeks of decluttering decisions under my belt, I was able to work at a much faster pace. No longer was I umm-ing and ahh-ing over each individual item, I was discarding more but using less mental energy to do so. I was riding on the wave of momentum.
Be the change you want to see in the world
The momentum that I built up over the course of the Minimalist Game didn’t stop with me – it spread to others too.
When I rid my drawers of excess t-shirts, following my example, so did my husband. He then helped me go through a box of miscellaneous electrical items. While doing this, he remarked, “But, you’re right about all this stuff – it’s just clutter”.
The momentum spread beyond my own household. I mentioned to two friends and a family member what I was doing this month. They each independently embarked on decluttering exercises of their own.
When I started playing the Minimalist Game I thought there was a bit of an inner hoarder in most of us. This hasn’t changed. I now think, at the same time, there is a lot of dissatisfaction with clutter amongst most of us too. My friends and family just needed the tiniest bit of inspiration/solidarity/permission from someone they trusted and they were off. My experience with the Minimalist Game showed me the power of example.
I often feel powerless in the face of rampant consumerism, but after playing the Minimalist Game I have hope. Doing nothing won’t change anything. Even the smallest step in the right direction is a start. The steps build and then have a momentum of their own.
“If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. We need not wait to see what others do.” – Gandhi
Have you taken steps towards a minimalist lifestyle? What inspired you to do this?
The week of the Wii – The Minimalist Game Days 1 to 7
Help I’m hoarding for the environment – The Minimalist Game Days 8 to 14
The cost of free stuff – The Minimalist Game Days 15 to 21
