Think about the absolute ideal dream life you could ever possibly have. The best possible homes, zip code, clothing, husband, help around the house, career, etc etc etc. Think about the pinnacle of what would make your life feel like a million bucks.
Now take away a few things. Are you still happy in that scenario? I’m sure you are. You’re still living well and have all of your needs met. Now take away a few more things. Are you still happy in that scenario? Sure. Maybe you could wish for a little bit more but I bet thats still an amazing life to live. Take away a bit more. Still happy? Keep going until you reach the point where you are just “good”. Certainly not unhappy, but you’re just alright. Where you can’t compromise on anything more or else you’ll always be yearning for more. That is your bare minimum life. The bare minimum salary that would satisfy you, the bare minimum car, the bare minimum husband qualities, etc etc. Don’t ever settle for anything less than that or else you’ll be unsatisfied in life.
That’s where you start. Go get your bare minimum as soon as possible and then you can go up from there. For some, their peak dream would be to marry a british prince and become a dutchess in a large castle, but their bare minimum would be an old money british nobleman who has connections with other royals and she can still indulge in some of the lifestyle. For others, their peak dream would be to have a 5 bedroom mcmansion in pennsylvania with 2 dogs, no man, and all paid for by their surgeon salary. But their bare minimum would be a really nice apartment in a safe city with one dog and paid for by their RN salary. Find what is best for you and your needs.
As far as possessions go, if you were to suddenly lose everything that you own in a fire, what would you prioritize getting back first? Those are the things that are most important to you. That may sound like an unlikely thing to happen, but thats exactly what happened to me. I lost everything in a fire a few years ago and had to start back over from scratch. The things you miss the most, say a lot about you and what makes you most content. The hobbies you care about most, the memories you cherished most, and the items you used the most.
I realized that I didn’t want aaaallll of the clothes, shoes, and accessories I had before. I prioritized my staples and let go of the rest. This told me that I actually am perfectly happy with a minimalist wardrobe. I also didn’t care to replace everything that I previously had in my room, just the most important things. Minimalist living is perfect for me and it is something that became crystal clear that I want to take into the rest of my adult life.
