“The Joy of Minimalism”
Author- Zoey Arielle Poulsen
Before we begin with the review let us understand the meaning of minimalism through these mind-boggling lines from the movie Fight Club
We buy things we don’t need
with money we don’t have
to impress people we don’t like
~ Fight Club
The concept of minimalism targets this mindset of the masses. The power of marketing is such that it has blurred the line between what we actually need and what we are driven to believe that we need resulting in a huge financial burden on common people.
Look around your room, you will find so many things that are actually doing no good to you except occupying space.
The book “Joy of Minimalism” is about searching for long term joy from within instead of short term joy from materialistic possessions. It’s about reclaiming our time and space in life by decluttering excess baggage, be it physical or mental.
According to the author, decluttering is important because it allows us to have more of the world’s most precious resource i.e. time.
She initiates a surgical strike on our “flaunting mentality” by highlighting how even the thought of wearing the same blazer twice a week haunts us. The book urges us to shift our focus to the question,
Who and What adds value to our life?
Having worked in the marketing industry, the author explains how marketing traps are created, how we have fallen prey to the world of consumerism and at the same time suggests ways to come out of the pressure of displaying and spend in experiences such as travel which would in turn help in rediscovering ourselves.
The book also highlights the author’s journey, how she reduced her baggage to a suitcase and fulfilled her dream of traveling to Rome, Italy.
Zoey makes it very clear that the journey is unique to everyone, so what inspired her may not inspire you. It’s you who has to find your inspiration.
Being on a journey of minimalism myself, I would say this is a good book to get your basics right. The only problem with the book is that it is repetitive, but if you are a beginner in the journey of minimalism, this drawback will actually prove to be a blessing in disguise and help you in commencing this breathtaking journey of minimalism.
Happy Reading!
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- Psychologist | Engineer | Reader | Blogger
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An Engineer-Turned-Psychologist who loves Literature.
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