Hey guys! Just wanted to let you know that my new book, Things That Matter, is finally here. I put my heart into it, and I can’t wait to share it with you. You can pick up a copy at www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/676394/things-that-matter-by-joshua-becker/
My husband and I take a big vacation every year or so. We are in our 70's. We each take a carry-on and a tote bag. On a trip to Hawaii people were envious. If we can't lift it, we don't bring it. Tina
When I went to Hawaii with my two sisters and mother, the four of us couldn't fit in the car with all our suitcases. So we had to repack on the front lawn.... In order to make the flight. Then once we got into our rental in Hawaii, a stranger had to close the door. Thirty-some years later, we are still on a learning curve. Please pray for divine intervention. Thank you 😊
When Hubby and I first started cruising we took two huge suitcases (packed to the weight limit), a suit bag, and two carryons for one week. We now can cruise for two weeks with just two carryons without having to do laundry on the trip. If we didn’t need so much medication we could just have one carryon. You can wear the same clothes more than one day on a trip.
My husband and I travel carry-on only too. The first time I was apprehensive as we were spending 2 weeks in Europe and I wasn't sure of the weather. That trip was successful and very easy to transport our luggage on/off of planes, trains, cabs, over cobblestone streets, etc so we kept it going. I haven't packed a checked bag in over 7 years. It's so much easier at the airport as well. No waiting at the carousel for your luggage.
When my stepdad passed away almost three years ago, I started buying home decor I didn’t need to fill the void. The worst part about this is that I buy in two’s so that doubles the space and money. Couple of months after my stepdad passed away, my son joined the Airforce and my emptiness became even greater. I don’t think I can ever become a minimalist, but I’m slowly learning not to purchase anymore things and I’m on a journey to let go of at least 50 percent of my stuff. I have learned so much since I found your channel. Thank you! 😀
I'm sorry for both of the losses that you suffered. I can empathize with your feeling of emptiness that you felt compelled to fill. I felt this after the passing of both my parents. It is easy to quickly try to ease our pain with excess but the thing that I tell myself continually is that those things only offer a bandaid for my broken heart. I have to rely fully on my faith that I'll see them again and that this life is temporary. This mindset really does help. Hugs to you. ❤️🤗
@@carriebass4325 Thank you 🙏. I’m so sorry for your parents loss, that must be extremely hard. Hope you are feeling better as I know we can never heal from their absence. Sending you hugs and be safe out there as well.
Well done to you, i struggle with depression and empty nest syndrome. Ive managed to let go of 300 things in a year. Goodness knows why i even bought them in the first place....lol. xxxxxxxxxxxxx
@@KarronAngel I struggle with depression too. But I have learned to live with it and without medication since I was a child. Wow 300 items that’s great! Keep up the great work! It’s uplifting to know I’m not alone, and that we can support each other as strangers lol. Thank you for reaching out. Have a great weekend! 😃
Will be moving to another state in six months so I’m in the process of going through every single thing I own and let me tell you, the high that I got buying it was not worth what I’m going through now to get rid of it! And I have extreme guilt of all the money I spent on many things that I didn’t need & never used!😫
I am also preparing for a move. I honestly wish I had been decluttering for all these years instead of waiting until now. I am currently doing the 30 day minimalism journey and it's helping to clear out the extras. I have felt more fulfillment in donating most of the items since it can bless others. This really helps. Peace and blessings to you on your move.
1. Seeking security 2. Pursuit of (more) happiness 3. Advertising 4. To impress others 5. Due to jealousy 6. Compensating deficiencies 7. Because of selfishness Thank you for the video! Its a fascinating question indeed. In the book Goodbye Things by Fumio Sasaki he also delves into it. I often wonder about it myself. I think for many people it's shopping therapy when they are like you said for example lonely or sad. Also I think boredom can lead to buying stuff. Especially now during COVID-19 lockdowns etc some people have less to do and go to the internet to treat themselves to purchases.
Yes fb they love to blow their trumpets and show off their boats or their bodies etc. I quit fb 3 weeks ago. I don't miss the superficialness on fb the good vibes only that's not true. Life is struggle both good and bad it's not all good not all bad. It's not live your best life now. It's not sunshine lollipops and rainbows all the time that's a fantasy world in your own mind. It's unrealistic expectations of your self and others. I don't watch youtubers like that who also use the law of attraction like Oprah winfrey to manifest what they want. Oprah got there by hard work only not by manifesting and speaking it into existence like Joyce meyer and joel osteen. That's fake spiritual gurus who scam you out of your money.
The best things in life are free. We found one of our dogs on the street. The other in a junkyard. They have enriched our lives more than any material possession ever could. I call them my treasures. Priceless.
Thanks. RUclips encourages them to be longer (so they can run more advertisements), but I think the point can be made in 4-5 minutes without wasting everyone’s time.
@@JoshuaBecker Awesome and outstanding point! Short, sweet to the point.☺ You're truly the master. I'm blessed I have found you. I've had many beloved family members pass away, and I don't want to be the keeper of "their stuff" and it's hard to find donation center the last 2 yrs since Covid came. I don't want to leave this headache for my spouse or anyone else have to deal with it! I don't want someone else to have to decide what to do with the "stuff", plus what's the point you, nobody can take it with you! It's delayed decision making is all it really is!?.. Plus the stop spending or no buy week or months is a awesome challenge. Thanks Joshua☺. I'm truly blessed, I want to enjoy my spouse and family and even myself more. God, his son Jesus is what really is important, matters most, knowing them. Blessings to you my friend.
I think I purchased items through the years on impulse. I see something and buy it without giving much thought. I look back and think it’s such a waste...... there are so many positives to owning less. Less clutter, less to clean, less to move.
Joshua....I really dont envy or is jealous of the possessions of others because most of the time they are up to their ears in Debt, miserable, not really prepared for emergencies l(like so many now affected by this pandemic).....I started 11 years ago downsizing my life, cleared debt, living a decent, peaceful Life. More is definitely not better!....every 6 months I go through my things...anything I'm not using, wearing, ETC gets donated to to the goodwill, or given away to others.....It really is freeing being debt free, peaceful, limiting possessions, living within my financial means....
Good subject you brought up when my three siblings and my mother and father passed away in 11 months and a divorce I reflected on the words my father said two months before his passing he said the best things is what life offers you that do not cost you anything I hope quoted my father right thank you mr. Becker have a peaceful afternoon
Very insightful... decluttering is ongoing; most of our buying habits are the result of “emotional” stuff. Once we start “unpacking” throwing or giving away things, it’s like an avalanche of issues/memories/ fears/ areas that we’re “stuck” come to the surface. These videos are on point and extremely helpful.
My shopping habits have drastically changed thanks to videos about minimalism like this one. I No longer buy things just because they are nice or could be useful. They must serve a purpose in my life, be of good quality and I really have to like them. It is such a burden dealing with all the stuff I acumulated in the past two decades that I never ever want this to happen again!
I've found that during Covid I've hardly gone in stores at all except for necessities. And, I've noticed that I don't care as much about my outfit either since there seems to be a separation between your face and your outfit when you have a mask on. So as long as it fits well not that concerned about what I'm wearing.
🌹 Yes, same realization. Since following both Joshua Becker and pandemic regulations, I have been amazed that my bank account is growing steadily. Not only am I avoiding being seduced by slick advertising and aisle displays, COVID has made me appreciate how little I really need to be comfortable and content.
@@Krampus360 I'm curious though how/if that will solidify, should this pandemic and lockdown/opening circle ever end! Will people consolidate on what they might have figured out by now, or, go basically crazy with pent-up demand. ... One thing is certain, people do both buy and consume more groceries these days, also using delivery services more often. Well, that's of course an issue of it'a own, same principle though - search for security, search for happyness, advertisement, desire to impress, jealousy. Like in the classic De Sica-movie, while we're eating away the meal of our desire, somebody else has something better on their plate, bummer, and out of the window's the knowledge that food is supposed to actually give and preserve life. We may also enjoy it, yep, the more the better! Two cookies will make me four times more happy than sharing the one I actually have! Nah. Of course not. It's all just about rationally figuring out why the former is in fact driving us towards depression.
@@silkegehtyoutubegarnichtsa892 I predict people will be travelling more and buying fewer material goods. Unlike material goods, travel memories warm the heart and excite the mind. Best of all, they take up no physical space, are immedately accessed, and can be enjoyed forever in their original glory. 😃
Also I stopped having the want for traveling. I do not need to travel much longer than my town or few cities from that. Life is great and you can save that money of "big vacations".
*Don't compare your 2. Chapter to someome elses 20. Chapter. Compare yourself to just your yesterday. And if you constantly see an improvement that means you are on the right track.* I hope you have an amazing day. 🖤
Thank you. I needed this. We have decluttered so much. Every weekend we donate a boot load. I think we are done for now. I need to now focus on not bringing more into the house. I'm really focused and know exactly what I need in the next few months soninshiykd be able to keep to my new life style.
I think it is common to treat ourselves to shopping nice or expensive things as a way to compensate ourself for the things we lack in our lives. A feeling of ”I deserve x or y because...”
I read this tonight on another program .... and how true it is. Junk is something you keep around for years .... and throw out 2 weeks before you need it!
I rarely shop for things now. I try to buy only what I need. However, I am having difficulty getting rid of my clutter (all the things I don't use or have never used). I'm working on it 😏
@@kimberlyberlin4999 I joined one months ago and only gifted one thing so far. I didn't know the rules initially. They want you to wait an hour before selecting someone which makes it more difficult to get rid of things quickly. May try again soon.
I LOVE this video!!! I just started my minimalist journey and I’m feeling so much better already! I suffer with major health anxiety, and getting rid of things and decluttering has really started to help me manage this problem!! Thank you 😊
They can be abused for sure but, if used correctly, cc are a great convenience. I live in the USA and I never use cash, only a credit card. It enables me to easily track every purchase at the end of the month. It also provides some measure of insurance protection (depending on what I'm buying) and also gives points for each purchase which can be exchanged for cash. I never spend more than I can pay off at the end of the month, so I've never had a problem. But if I knew that I had a tendency to overspend with ccs, I wouldn't own one - it's that simple. I learned a long time ago that it's way easier not to get into trouble if I don't put temptation in my own path. Which is why you won't find peanut butter fudge ice cream in my freezer :)
Debit card works just as well, so I never in my life had a credit or debt. Only purchased, what I already collected the money for. 🤷♀️ Europe works very differently than U.S. or Canada, I think.
I am determined to declutter/minimize all the stuff I’ve accumulated. We are retired and don’t want to have so much for our Son to have to deal with later on.
Joshua can you talk about the two trends I’ve seen with hoarders and you’ve probably seen too: 1. They get used to buying so much that they end up replacing high quality “old” stuff with low quality new stuff in an attempt to justify their spending? And 2. All this “just in case” crap is never the precise thing you need. For example, my parents keep EVERYTHING. So instead of going to the local hardware store .5 miles away, they use hardware we’ve saved and it’s not the appropriate use. Or I donated an old baseball mit we’ve had in our basement for 20+ years a week later I was like “damn, I could have used it” but I went out and got a new one that fits SOOOO much better. And now I don’t regret donating the old one at all because I got something that was EXACTLY the right thing for me.
I don't discuss hoarding. It is a mental disability and a possible symptom for OCD-both which are outside my expertise, experience, and education. That's a topic for the experts who have studied it.
This days i've been thinking to buy some things that I already have but I want new ones, and this video has helped me to realize that I don't need that stuff at all, I'd prefer to give a full use to this things i have instead of get more stuff :D I recently discover your channel and i couldn't be happier, you deserve more!!!
i have been into minimalism long ago and that i practice the virtue of contentment..lesser things to maintain, clean and to organize.more time for family and myself.
I love the visual of being covered in delivery boxes. Many people are coping with lockdown through purchasing possessions, following delivery information as a form of entertainment, and then trying to figure out where to store these purchases in their houses. A commitment to minimalism in our house is helping us to avoid this pattern of acquiring more when we have plenty. Many thanks for another great video!
I agree with everything you said but I also think there is also a biological aspect. Buying new things can give our brains an endorphin rush. Of course, that good feeling doesn't last and we have to buy something else to feel it again which is why vulnerable people can literally become addicted to shopping...
Very true ! When I was going through a huge circumstantial depression for years , I did that ....I ruined my credit 3 times , once was due to a divorce. The other 2 were solely my fault. Now I just paid off every CC except one. Such a wonderful feeling getting rid of all that crap ! Now I'm expecting my first grandbaby in July and I get to help raise him for a while anyway. I'm finally where I want to be in my life !!
The burden of owning stuff - paying for it, housing it, cleaning it, moving it. But in decluttering and down-sizing I'm forced to face this over spending & over consumption. Wow that's really hard, forgiving myself, grieving the losses stuff represents. But the lightness & freedom is worth the hard work.
Watching from Australia. The houses in Australia don't have basements or attics. We generally only have one storage closet but we do have garden sheds and many people have built on garages that I have seen filled up with stuff.
As crestons wife the only thing I collect add to my collection is books and cookbooks but they don't just sit on the shelf they are read and the cookbooks are used to cook with on a regular basis. I am a minimalist but I'm not an extreme minimalist. As long as it sparks joy and you use it then I think it's ok. I have a capsule wardrobe I only allow so many clothes per season. I say for a woman no more than two winter coats is necessary. You can never have enough books on your bookshelf. What important is that you read and use the books on your bookshelf. I enjoy my things but I hold them loosely because things like covid-19 and natural disasters prove you can lose it all. It's important not to have expensive things like jewelry or antiques because thieves can break in and steal your expensive valuables and expensive cars.
We live in a tiny home. No room to buy too much. We don’t have a garage so we don’t have room to store stuff. Our space has to be multi functional. We have a combined living, office, dining, and entryway. Our bathroom is also our laundry.
Joshua, I always respect your perspective, but it feels like your reasons put blame on the individual, when there are also societal issues that could be helpful to consider. As an American now living in Europe, I'd add two other reasons. 8. It's the cultural norm. In the US, it's become the default to own so much stuff, to give so many Christmas and wedding gifts, to not repeat outfits daily, etc. 9. Shopping has become a social activity. When I met up with friends in the US; we often went window shopping together. Now, I'd never consider asking someone to spend a day doing that -- it just feels weird. I have been able to adopt minimalism where I live now much more easily than I think I would have been able to in the US, because I don't have the societal pressures of American culture and capitalism.
Yup, lots of societal issues for sure. But society isn’t driving your wallet to Target to buy stuff, Amazon isn’t just shipping things to your home. Every individual is making that individual choice. Society may play a role, but the reasons individuals make choices to buy more than they need is definitely what this video was about.
I don't think material things make people happy. When you die you can't take all your "stuff" with you. As long as you have your basic needs you don't need to accumulate mountains of "stuff" just because everyone else is doing that.
Ahmet....soooo true!....I personally experience this...NOW I have peace, simplicity, good health, debt free, and is SPIRTUAL not RELIGIOUS., pray, meditate, worship God..VERY resourceful ....I've downsized my life 11 years ago....live a nice but simple life....great peace, contentment, happiness, etc.
I thank God for bringing me to this site. Your insights are practical and powerful. I am working on getting rid of clutter, but I realize that I have to resist the urge to buy things I don't really need. Thank you so much.
Mr. Becker, I have read your books and you are an inspiration. I intentionally searched for your videos on here bc I fell off the minimalism wagon. This past month or so I got addicted buying clothes from Amazon knowing that I don't need any of it. I scroll there when I get bored when there's other productive things I could be doing. We have direct deposit that goes straight to our savings every 2 weeks so I justified my actions that it was ok to spend since we're still saving anyway. I have a lot of new clothes that I haven't even worn yet and I felt sick to my stomach. So here I am. I stopped scrolling on Amazon and Pinterest bc it contributed to my urge to shop and I search for videos about minimalism, simple life, contentment etc here on RUclips instead. So thank you!
I am truly an emotional spender. I should talk to my therapist about that. I always talk about my struggle to save money but never the root causes! Great video!
I love this message. And to take it a step further, once we stop buying things we don't need it would be good to see how we are 'spending' our time. That's where I am anyway.
As crestons wife I got rid half of my Christmas decor getting rid of the other half this week. Given it to people. I'm not going to be getting anymore seasonal decor. Keeping my fall decor. Threw away our easter decor before easter. Stopped putting up a tree last year will be keeping a few things for Christmas not much and throwing our ornaments since we stopped putting up a tree last year. The only thing I really enjoy keeping and adding to my collection is books and cookbooks but they are read and used for cooking as well. They don't just sit on the shelf.
We're glutinous, greedy, pleasure seeking people. That's why we're overweight, overworked and more miserable than ever. Fact is the more our society has gotten better the more unhappy we are. Less trusting, less connected, and so.much less content. You're spot on and I've been on this path for 20 years. Sadly my most religious church going friends are the worst offenders. No care for the planet and the result is this constant over buying has made China's economy more powerful than ours. We need a spiritual solution to this mess. Keep.plugging your brilliant message. You give me hope. God bless you! 💜
Sounds like a lot of generalizations. Do we “need” pets?? A true minimalist would never have something they don’t need... I don’t “need” music or instruments I enjoy them They do bring me joy and make my life more beautiful. They do not impress anyone or compete with anyone. It is perhaps selfish but I am not a monk.
I've been purging for a few years now. Preparing for eventual retirement. I am not dragging all that stuff with us! LOL! Slowly I've sold, tossed & donated. Now I am trying the 'remove, sell or donate 1 item every day out of your house' it's liberating!
Your videos are awesome. I really agree that less is more. Less = more joy for the things that matter in life. I wish happiness to everyone on this new journey. Thank you J.
Very true about everything you mentioned in your video. I have found it very confronting to face the truth of why I buy 'stuff' and am getting better at saying "do I really need this item?"
more christian minimalism videos please!! its helped more than anything and ive been decluttering for 2 yrs. finally had a break through with reading scripture. love all your work
It takes a lot of Honesty to take these pointers as a real warning to wake up and relive meaningful lives. I just hope that we people be Honest . thank you for sharing these high values into youtube
Sometimes things just accumulate. My daughter married a Vietnamese man and we had an engagement ceremony at our home. The linens, decorations, etc ended up in storage. I am not complaining, I am just sharing how things can accumulate over time regardless of how little one purchases on a daily basis. I used to be in competition with my siblings and neighbors to have more, but now, I couldn’t care less. Of course, now I a senior citizen, so I took too long to realize I didn’t need to impress and purchase things I didn’t need. “Our personal kingdoms” lol. I have never heard that before but I love it!
I think we have better strategies for getting things and storing them than for passing them on to other people who could use them. There are so many psychological barriers to getting rid of things once we have them. It’s a shame we don’t have more of a culture of sharing and renting things we’ll only need rarely or for one occasion.
Wow - love being second - oh, Joshua I got your first book from the library - I hope to pick it up early next week - so excited - & a bit silly? Well said Joshua - so effective - appreciate the spirit of & the care you place in the delivery of your message.
I think being a minimalist is very difficult for me as I have so many interests and hobbies that they require me to have material things - books for study, equipment for sport, vinyls for music etc. Unless I give all my interests up, thereby ridding myself of the material things, I'm not sure I can live a minimalist life as I think that would make me very unhappy. I have material things but I'm very content with them.
First of all, thank you for the video. I always find your videos helpful. Now, concerning reason #3 you gave, that is, "Every advertisement carries the same message: That your life will be better if you buy what they are selling", I want to share a quote from a book I have in my possession. "Truth is either something we assume to be true, or something we can build as true from other truths." (p. 2 - Introduction to Discrete Mathematics by Mathieu Sassolas) While the above quote is geared towards mathematicians or someone majoring in mathematics and writing proofs, it nevertheless could be used to help a person discover what is being assumed as true. To that end, a person could ask themselves the following question concerning the truth value of any advertisement, declarative sentence, or deciding whether or not to buy an item: "What is that something that I'm assuming to be true"? And anyone who happens to be majoring in mathematics and working through a proof and handing it in to be examined or graded by your professor, then the above question may come in handy after your professor returns your paper, but in various areas of that paper your professor may have written different things such as: really? why? bogus proof sloppy job do better Thanks for reading and being present.
Hi Joshua,what are your insights about Buddhism? I come across a Buddhist monk video recently and it further my understanding of minimalism and even appreciate living the life with less material possession. Thank you for this video. 💚
I literally have nothing now but a ebike I need for work. I dumped a lot of stuff after moves, since moving out of my folks house I've lived at 10 different places, and I don't even have a bed anymore, I sleep on mats placed on the ground. I've basically reached a survivalist level, keep only things I really need.
Hey guys! Just wanted to let you know that my new book, Things That Matter, is finally here. I put my heart into it, and I can’t wait to share it with you. You can pick up a copy at www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/676394/things-that-matter-by-joshua-becker/
My husband and I take a big vacation every year or so. We are in our 70's. We each take a carry-on and a tote bag. On a trip to Hawaii people were envious.
If we can't lift it, we don't bring it. Tina
We did 2 weeks in Alaska for two weeks, carryons only....we always travel with carryons only, and you’re right, pack em light.
When I went to Hawaii with my two sisters and mother, the four of us couldn't fit in the car with all our suitcases. So we had to repack on the front lawn.... In order to make the flight. Then once we got into our rental in Hawaii, a stranger had to close the door. Thirty-some years later, we are still on a learning curve. Please pray for divine intervention. Thank you 😊
When Hubby and I first started cruising we took two huge suitcases (packed to the weight limit), a suit bag, and two carryons for one week. We now can cruise for two weeks with just two carryons without having to do laundry on the trip. If we didn’t need so much medication we could just have one carryon. You can wear the same clothes more than one day on a trip.
We do the one carry on challenge too and love not having to wait around for our luggage. We can grab and go.
My husband and I travel carry-on only too. The first time I was apprehensive as we were spending 2 weeks in Europe and I wasn't sure of the weather. That trip was successful and very easy to transport our luggage on/off of planes, trains, cabs, over cobblestone streets, etc so we kept it going. I haven't packed a checked bag in over 7 years. It's so much easier at the airport as well. No waiting at the carousel for your luggage.
Nice. In 6 minutes and 26 seconds you've laid bare the roots of one of the most destructive forces operative in our world today.
Bombardment with the words “It will change your life”.
lol I am doing this for school, and I thought that as soon as I saw the title of the video .
When my stepdad passed away almost three years ago, I started buying home decor I didn’t need to fill the void. The worst part about this is that I buy in two’s so that doubles the space and money. Couple of months after my stepdad passed away, my son joined the Airforce and my emptiness became even greater. I don’t think I can ever become a minimalist, but I’m slowly learning not to purchase anymore things and I’m on a journey to let go of at least 50 percent of my stuff. I have learned so much since I found your channel. Thank you! 😀
You can do it! Once you get used to less stuff, less cleaning, less stress it gets easier. :-)
I'm sorry for both of the losses that you suffered. I can empathize with your feeling of emptiness that you felt compelled to fill. I felt this after the passing of both my parents. It is easy to quickly try to ease our pain with excess but the thing that I tell myself continually is that those things only offer a bandaid for my broken heart. I have to rely fully on my faith that I'll see them again and that this life is temporary. This mindset really does help. Hugs to you. ❤️🤗
@@carriebass4325 Thank you 🙏. I’m so sorry for your parents loss, that must be extremely hard. Hope you are feeling better as I know we can never heal from their absence. Sending you hugs and be safe out there as well.
Well done to you, i struggle with depression and empty nest syndrome. Ive managed to let go of 300 things in a year. Goodness knows why i even bought them in the first place....lol. xxxxxxxxxxxxx
@@KarronAngel I struggle with depression too. But I have learned to live with it and without medication since I was a child. Wow 300 items that’s great! Keep up the great work! It’s uplifting to know I’m not alone, and that we can support each other as strangers lol. Thank you for reaching out. Have a great weekend! 😃
The best things in life are not things ✨ my favorite quote
Most times we don't realize that we have too much or that the items are unnecessary until we start to get rid of them.
Or have to move.
So true
this is so true xxx
Will be moving to another state in six months so I’m in the process of going through every single thing I own and let me tell you, the high that I got buying it was not worth what I’m going through now to get rid of it!
And I have extreme guilt of all the money I spent on many things that I didn’t need & never used!😫
Hope you can get past the guilt to the peace of owning less.
@@carolscott579 thank you!
Best wishes for your move!
I am also preparing for a move. I honestly wish I had been decluttering for all these years instead of waiting until now. I am currently doing the 30 day minimalism journey and it's helping to clear out the extras. I have felt more fulfillment in donating most of the items since it can bless others. This really helps. Peace and blessings to you on your move.
@Mo K , that’s a positive way to look at it! ❤️
1. Seeking security
2. Pursuit of (more) happiness
3. Advertising
4. To impress others
5. Due to jealousy
6. Compensating deficiencies
7. Because of selfishness
Thank you for the video! Its a fascinating question indeed. In the book Goodbye Things by Fumio Sasaki he also delves into it. I often wonder about it myself. I think for many people it's shopping therapy when they are like you said for example lonely or sad. Also I think boredom can lead to buying stuff. Especially now during COVID-19 lockdowns etc some people have less to do and go to the internet to treat themselves to purchases.
Yes fb they love to blow their trumpets and show off their boats or their bodies etc. I quit fb 3 weeks ago. I don't miss the superficialness on fb the good vibes only that's not true. Life is struggle both good and bad it's not all good not all bad. It's not live your best life now. It's not sunshine lollipops and rainbows all the time that's a fantasy world in your own mind. It's unrealistic expectations of your self and others. I don't watch youtubers like that who also use the law of attraction like Oprah winfrey to manifest what they want. Oprah got there by hard work only not by manifesting and speaking it into existence like Joyce meyer and joel osteen. That's fake spiritual gurus who scam you out of your money.
Thx for the list.
The best things in life are free. We found one of our dogs on the street. The other in a junkyard. They have enriched our lives more than any material possession ever could. I call them my treasures. Priceless.
Same here, we have 2 priceless angels also , they make us happier each day
The length of your videos are brilliant.
Thanks. RUclips encourages them to be longer (so they can run more advertisements), but I think the point can be made in 4-5 minutes without wasting everyone’s time.
Finished “More of Less” and “Minimalist Home,” neither were a waste of time. Thank you.
@@JoshuaBecker Awesome and outstanding point! Short, sweet to the point.☺ You're truly the master. I'm blessed I have found you. I've had many beloved family members pass away, and I don't want to be the keeper of "their stuff" and it's hard to find donation center the last 2 yrs since Covid came. I don't want to leave this headache for my spouse or anyone else have to deal with it! I don't want someone else to have to decide what to do with the "stuff", plus what's the point you, nobody can take it with you! It's delayed decision making is all it really is!?.. Plus the stop spending or no buy week or months is a awesome challenge. Thanks Joshua☺. I'm truly blessed, I want to enjoy my spouse and family and even myself more. God, his son Jesus is what really is important, matters most, knowing them. Blessings to you my friend.
I think I purchased items through the years on impulse. I see something and buy it without giving much thought. I look back and think it’s such a waste...... there are so many positives to owning less. Less clutter, less to clean, less to move.
Joshua....I really dont envy or is jealous of the possessions of others because most of the time they are up to their ears in Debt, miserable, not really prepared for emergencies l(like so many now affected by this pandemic).....I started 11 years ago downsizing my life, cleared debt, living a decent, peaceful Life. More is definitely not better!....every 6 months I go through my things...anything I'm not using, wearing, ETC gets donated to to the goodwill, or given away to others.....It really is freeing being debt free, peaceful, limiting possessions, living within my financial means....
Good subject you brought up when my three siblings and my mother and father passed away in 11 months and a divorce I reflected on the words my father said two months before his passing he said the best things is what life offers you that do not cost you anything I hope quoted my father right thank you mr. Becker have a peaceful afternoon
Very insightful... decluttering is ongoing; most of our buying habits are the result of “emotional” stuff. Once we start “unpacking” throwing or giving away things, it’s like an avalanche of issues/memories/ fears/ areas that we’re “stuck” come to the surface. These videos are on point and extremely helpful.
My shopping habits have drastically changed thanks to videos about minimalism like this one. I No longer buy things just because they are nice or could be useful. They must serve a purpose in my life, be of good quality and I really have to like them. It is such a burden dealing with all the stuff I acumulated in the past two decades that I never ever want this to happen again!
I've found that during Covid I've hardly gone in stores at all except for necessities. And, I've noticed that I don't care as much about my outfit either since there seems to be a separation between your face and your outfit when you have a mask on. So as long as it fits well not that concerned about what I'm wearing.
🌹 Yes, same realization.
Since following both Joshua Becker and pandemic regulations, I have been amazed that my bank account is growing steadily. Not only am I avoiding being seduced by slick advertising and aisle displays, COVID has made me appreciate how little I really need to be comfortable and content.
@@Krampus360 I'm curious though how/if that will solidify, should this pandemic and lockdown/opening circle ever end! Will people consolidate on what they might have figured out by now, or, go basically crazy with pent-up demand. ... One thing is certain, people do both buy and consume more groceries these days, also using delivery services more often. Well, that's of course an issue of it'a own, same principle though - search for security, search for happyness, advertisement, desire to impress, jealousy. Like in the classic De Sica-movie, while we're eating away the meal of our desire, somebody else has something better on their plate, bummer, and out of the window's the knowledge that food is supposed to actually give and preserve life. We may also enjoy it, yep, the more the better! Two cookies will make me four times more happy than sharing the one I actually have! Nah. Of course not. It's all just about rationally figuring out why the former is in fact driving us towards depression.
@@silkegehtyoutubegarnichtsa892 I predict people will be travelling more and buying fewer material goods. Unlike material goods, travel memories warm the heart and excite the mind. Best of all, they take up no physical space, are immedately accessed, and can be enjoyed forever in their original glory. 😃
Also I stopped having the want for traveling. I do not need to travel much longer than my town or few cities from that. Life is great and you can save that money of "big vacations".
*Don't compare your 2. Chapter to someome elses 20. Chapter. Compare yourself to just your yesterday. And if you constantly see an improvement that means you are on the right track.*
I hope you have an amazing day. 🖤
Good advice, thank you 😊.
On my own journey to minimalism and loving it. Thank you for inspiring me 💕
Thank you. I needed this. We have decluttered so much. Every weekend we donate a boot load. I think we are done for now. I need to now focus on not bringing more into the house. I'm really focused and know exactly what I need in the next few months soninshiykd be able to keep to my new life style.
I struggle between minimalism and homesteading/essentialism. I feel what I am buying is needed.
Self examination although difficult and sometimes painful is always freeing I have found . Another excellent video ; thank you . 🙏🏻❤️🙏🏻
Wonderful message as always! Thank you for all you do!
I think it is common to treat ourselves to shopping nice or expensive things as a way to compensate ourself for the things we lack in our lives. A feeling of ”I deserve x or y because...”
I read this tonight on another program .... and how true it is.
Junk is something you keep around for years ....
and throw out 2 weeks before you need it!
Doubtful. That rarely happens.
I rarely shop for things now. I try to buy only what I need. However, I am having difficulty getting rid of my clutter (all the things I don't use or have never used). I'm working on it 😏
Keep working in it, Theresa! As time goes on you’ll develop confidence in your decisions. It’s worth the time & effort!
Just join nextdoor and put it up for sale. its a great way to get rid of stuff AND make some money. Plus you dont have to ship it.
I joined a local Buy Nothing Group (USA) and gift my unwanted items there. It's good for you, the planet, and gets items to those who can use them.
@@kimberlyberlin4999 I joined one months ago and only gifted one thing so far. I didn't know the rules initially. They want you to wait an hour before selecting someone which makes it more difficult to get rid of things quickly. May try again soon.
You are ALWAYS so correct!! 👍
I LOVE this video!!! I just started my minimalist journey and I’m feeling so much better already! I suffer with major health anxiety, and getting rid of things and decluttering has really started to help me manage this problem!! Thank you 😊
The credit cards debits in the us are crazy. I do not even have a credit card and I live in Switzerland 🇨🇭
You are absolutely correct! We don't own one anymore.
They can be abused for sure but, if used correctly, cc are a great convenience. I live in the USA and I never use cash, only a credit card. It enables me to easily track every purchase at the end of the month. It also provides some measure of insurance protection (depending on what I'm buying) and also gives points for each purchase which can be exchanged for cash. I never spend more than I can pay off at the end of the month, so I've never had a problem. But if I knew that I had a tendency to overspend with ccs, I wouldn't own one - it's that simple. I learned a long time ago that it's way easier not to get into trouble if I don't put temptation in my own path. Which is why you won't find peanut butter fudge ice cream in my freezer :)
I don’t either & I also live in 🇨🇭
@@suzy1750 right! We pay off our cc every month. I can't handle a debit card because I can't keep track. (Also, no ice cream in the freezer for me😂).
Debit card works just as well, so I never in my life had a credit or debt. Only purchased, what I already collected the money for. 🤷♀️ Europe works very differently than U.S. or Canada, I think.
I am determined to declutter/minimize all the stuff I’ve accumulated.
We are retired and don’t want to have so much for our Son to have to deal with later on.
Always love your vidéos.
You should make a podcast I would listes to You for hours. Your voici is calm and soothing 😌🥰
I agree ☝🏼
Yes yes yes!! A Josh Cast
Joshcast. Cute.
@Ashley’s Craft Corner That would be very helpful!
Joshua can you talk about the two trends I’ve seen with hoarders and you’ve probably seen too: 1. They get used to buying so much that they end up replacing high quality “old” stuff with low quality new stuff in an attempt to justify their spending? And 2. All this “just in case” crap is never the precise thing you need. For example, my parents keep EVERYTHING. So instead of going to the local hardware store .5 miles away, they use hardware we’ve saved and it’s not the appropriate use. Or I donated an old baseball mit we’ve had in our basement for 20+ years a week later I was like “damn, I could have used it” but I went out and got a new one that fits SOOOO much better. And now I don’t regret donating the old one at all because I got something that was EXACTLY the right thing for me.
I don't discuss hoarding. It is a mental disability and a possible symptom for OCD-both which are outside my expertise, experience, and education. That's a topic for the experts who have studied it.
@@JoshuaBecker thank you for your response.
This days i've been thinking to buy some things that I already have but I want new ones, and this video has helped me to realize that I don't need that stuff at all, I'd prefer to give a full use to this things i have instead of get more stuff :D I recently discover your channel and i couldn't be happier, you deserve more!!!
Your books and your channels has changed my life Joshua !
Oh, that is wonderful to hear.
I really enjoyed this because it addresses why not how. Which is not a video I come across often!
I stumbled across this channel quite by accident and I’m really enjoying your content. 😊
i have been into minimalism long ago and that i practice the virtue of contentment..lesser things to maintain, clean and to organize.more time for family and myself.
I love the visual of being covered in delivery boxes. Many people are coping with lockdown through purchasing possessions, following delivery information as a form of entertainment, and then trying to figure out where to store these purchases in their houses. A commitment to minimalism in our house is helping us to avoid this pattern of acquiring more when we have plenty. Many thanks for another great video!
I adore your new haircut!
He always has great hair! 🤩
@@monikavarro2020 I know. I'm his number one fan in the UK!
Yes! Your hair looks great!
@@Meemee-mo5it yes yes
I agree with everything you said but I also think there is also a biological aspect. Buying new things can give our brains an endorphin rush. Of course, that good feeling doesn't last and we have to buy something else to feel it again which is why vulnerable people can literally become addicted to shopping...
Very true ! When I was going through a huge circumstantial depression for years , I did that ....I ruined my credit 3 times , once was due to a divorce. The other 2 were solely my fault. Now I just paid off every CC except one. Such a wonderful feeling getting rid of all that crap ! Now I'm expecting my first grandbaby in July and I get to help raise him for a while anyway. I'm finally where I want to be in my life !!
The burden of owning stuff - paying for it, housing it, cleaning it, moving it. But in decluttering and down-sizing I'm forced to face this over spending & over consumption. Wow that's really hard, forgiving myself, grieving the losses stuff represents. But the lightness & freedom is worth the hard work.
Thank you Joshua for more wonderful words of wisdom.
Simple but powerfull content. One of the most clear concise inteligent vlog about minimalism. Yes in 6 minutes.
Congratulations this is a great video.
Watching from Australia. The houses in Australia don't have basements or attics. We generally only have one storage closet but we do have garden sheds and many people have built on garages that I have seen filled up with stuff.
And many rent storage units for their stuff!
As crestons wife the only thing I collect add to my collection is books and cookbooks but they don't just sit on the shelf they are read and the cookbooks are used to cook with on a regular basis. I am a minimalist but I'm not an extreme minimalist. As long as it sparks joy and you use it then I think it's ok. I have a capsule wardrobe I only allow so many clothes per season. I say for a woman no more than two winter coats is necessary. You can never have enough books on your bookshelf. What important is that you read and use the books on your bookshelf. I enjoy my things but I hold them loosely because things like covid-19 and natural disasters prove you can lose it all. It's important not to have expensive things like jewelry or antiques because thieves can break in and steal your expensive valuables and expensive cars.
We live in a tiny home. No room to buy too much. We don’t have a garage so we don’t have room to store stuff. Our space has to be multi functional. We have a combined living, office, dining, and entryway. Our bathroom is also our laundry.
Joshua, I always respect your perspective, but it feels like your reasons put blame on the individual, when there are also societal issues that could be helpful to consider. As an American now living in Europe, I'd add two other reasons. 8. It's the cultural norm. In the US, it's become the default to own so much stuff, to give so many Christmas and wedding gifts, to not repeat outfits daily, etc. 9. Shopping has become a social activity. When I met up with friends in the US; we often went window shopping together. Now, I'd never consider asking someone to spend a day doing that -- it just feels weird. I have been able to adopt minimalism where I live now much more easily than I think I would have been able to in the US, because I don't have the societal pressures of American culture and capitalism.
Yup, lots of societal issues for sure. But society isn’t driving your wallet to Target to buy stuff, Amazon isn’t just shipping things to your home. Every individual is making that individual choice. Society may play a role, but the reasons individuals make choices to buy more than they need is definitely what this video was about.
I don't think material things make people happy. When you die you can't take all your "stuff" with you. As long as you have your basic needs you don't need to accumulate mountains of "stuff" just because everyone else is doing that.
Great video. For non-Americans, the American ways are odd.. Bigger houses, everything bought on credit card and debts.. Very odd.
*You have to fight through the worst days of your life to get to the best days of your life.*
*I hope you never ever give up. 💯*
Ahmet....soooo true!....I personally experience this...NOW I have peace, simplicity, good health, debt free, and is SPIRTUAL not RELIGIOUS., pray, meditate, worship God..VERY resourceful ....I've downsized my life 11 years ago....live a nice but simple life....great peace, contentment, happiness, etc.
Great talk today, Joshua!
I thank God for bringing me to this site. Your insights are practical and powerful. I am working on getting rid of clutter, but I realize that I have to resist the urge to buy things I don't really need. Thank you so much.
Mr. Becker, I have read your books and you are an inspiration. I intentionally searched for your videos on here bc I fell off the minimalism wagon. This past month or so I got addicted buying clothes from Amazon knowing that I don't need any of it. I scroll there when I get bored when there's other productive things I could be doing. We have direct deposit that goes straight to our savings every 2 weeks so I justified my actions that it was ok to spend since we're still saving anyway. I have a lot of new clothes that I haven't even worn yet and I felt sick to my stomach. So here I am. I stopped scrolling on Amazon and Pinterest bc it contributed to my urge to shop and I search for videos about minimalism, simple life, contentment etc here on RUclips instead. So thank you!
I am truly an emotional spender. I should talk to my therapist about that. I always talk about my struggle to save money but never the root causes! Great video!
Greed is the issue plus self-validation. That are the basic reasons why people buy too much more stuffs than what are needed.
I love this message. And to take it a step further, once we stop buying things we don't need it would be good to see how we are 'spending' our time. That's where I am anyway.
I really enjoy your videos. They inspire me to be a better person
Always a pleasure to listen to you. Thanks.
As crestons wife I got rid half of my Christmas decor getting rid of the other half this week. Given it to people. I'm not going to be getting anymore seasonal decor. Keeping my fall decor. Threw away our easter decor before easter. Stopped putting up a tree last year will be keeping a few things for Christmas not much and throwing our ornaments since we stopped putting up a tree last year. The only thing I really enjoy keeping and adding to my collection is books and cookbooks but they are read and used for cooking as well. They don't just sit on the shelf.
👋 from Sweden
Love your vids 🤩
We're glutinous, greedy, pleasure seeking people.
That's why we're overweight, overworked and more miserable than ever.
Fact is the more our society has gotten better the more unhappy we are.
Less trusting, less connected, and so.much less content.
You're spot on and I've been on this path for 20 years.
Sadly my most religious church going friends are the worst offenders.
No care for the planet and the result is this constant over buying has made China's economy more powerful than ours.
We need a spiritual solution to this mess.
Keep.plugging your brilliant message.
You give me hope.
God bless you!
💜
Sounds like a lot of generalizations. Do we “need” pets?? A true minimalist would never have something they don’t need... I don’t “need” music or instruments I enjoy them They do bring me joy and make my life more beautiful. They do not impress anyone or compete with anyone. It is perhaps selfish but I am not a monk.
For me it is mostly security. I don't want to run out of food, or lack warm winter clothes, or be stuck without books to read.
Beautiful! God bless you & your fam, Joshua.
Wow. Thank you
Thank you
You are very direct and truthful❤️ Great quality, especially in this current time. Thank you.
Thank you for inspiring me!
This was a wonderful video. Thank you for this reminder.
The Stanton Family
I've been purging for a few years now. Preparing for eventual retirement. I am not dragging all that stuff with us! LOL! Slowly I've sold, tossed & donated. Now I am trying the 'remove, sell or donate 1 item every day out of your house' it's liberating!
Excellent and crisp. Thank you
Your videos are awesome. I really agree that less is more. Less = more joy for the things that matter in life. I wish happiness to everyone on this new journey. Thank you J.
Very true about everything you mentioned in your video. I have found it very confronting to face the truth of why I buy 'stuff' and am getting better at saying "do I really need this item?"
I definately find it uplifting getting new things. I also want fewer things!!
Been on my minimalist status for last 2 years. After listening to you, I've gotten rid of even more! Great work brother, keep up the great vids.
more christian minimalism videos please!! its helped more than anything and ive been decluttering for 2 yrs. finally had a break through with reading scripture. love all your work
You nailed it on the reasons, Joshua!
. very interesting and so true . personally i hate stuff .
It takes a lot of Honesty to take these pointers as a real warning to wake up and relive meaningful lives. I just hope that we people be Honest . thank you for sharing these high values into youtube
As always great advice 🥰
Sometimes things just accumulate. My daughter married a Vietnamese man and we had an engagement ceremony at our home. The linens, decorations, etc ended up in storage. I am not complaining, I am just sharing how things can accumulate over time regardless of how little one purchases on a daily basis. I used to be in competition with my siblings and neighbors to have more, but now, I couldn’t care less. Of course, now I a senior citizen, so I took too long to realize I didn’t need to impress and purchase things I didn’t need. “Our personal kingdoms” lol. I have never heard that before but I love it!
I think we have better strategies for getting things and storing them than for passing them on to other people who could use them. There are so many psychological barriers to getting rid of things once we have them. It’s a shame we don’t have more of a culture of sharing and renting things we’ll only need rarely or for one occasion.
Wow - love being second - oh, Joshua I got your first book from the library - I hope to pick it up early next week - so excited - & a bit silly? Well said Joshua - so effective - appreciate the spirit of & the care you place in the delivery of your message.
I hope you enjoy reading it.
I am trying to minimise. 🙂
Your videos are therapeutic, I have really had to face some harsh reality about myself. Thank you.
I think being a minimalist is very difficult for me as I have so many interests and hobbies that they require me to have material things - books for study, equipment for sport, vinyls for music etc. Unless I give all my interests up, thereby ridding myself of the material things, I'm not sure I can live a minimalist life as I think that would make me very unhappy. I have material things but I'm very content with them.
Good for you! You do you.
So happy to be on path. It made such a difference in my life. 🇮🇱
So true. When i have less, I'm less stressful.... not so much to manage
Your hit the nails on all the heads.....so true so true 🙃
Good video. Thanks
First of all, thank you for the video. I always find your videos helpful.
Now, concerning reason #3 you gave, that is, "Every advertisement carries the same message: That your life will be better if you buy what they are selling", I want to share a quote from a book I have in my possession.
"Truth is either something we assume to be true, or
something we can build as true from other truths."
(p. 2 - Introduction to Discrete Mathematics by Mathieu Sassolas)
While the above quote is geared towards mathematicians or someone majoring in mathematics and writing proofs, it nevertheless could be used to help a person discover what is being assumed as true. To that end, a person could ask themselves the following question concerning the truth value of any advertisement, declarative sentence, or deciding whether or not to buy an item:
"What is that something that I'm assuming to be true"?
And anyone who happens to be majoring in mathematics and working through a proof and handing it in to be examined or graded by your professor, then the above question may come in handy after your professor returns your paper, but in various areas of that paper your professor may have written different things such as:
really?
why?
bogus proof
sloppy job
do better
Thanks for reading and being present.
Wow! Everyone needs to watch these videos
Hi Joshua,what are your insights about Buddhism? I come across a Buddhist monk video recently and it further my understanding of minimalism and even appreciate living the life with less material possession. Thank you for this video. 💚
Excellent thanks for your helpful resource
Most people have bigger wants as influenced by the media and the feeling of self-entitlement 🙄
I needed this reminder!
I am so grateful to have stumbled across your videos.
I’m actually surprised the average family’s credit card debt isn’t higher.
We only need sustenance and covering but we also need things to enjoy as well. It is about balance.
Your channel is gold thank you 😊
I literally have nothing now but a ebike I need for work. I dumped a lot of stuff after moves, since moving out of my folks house I've lived at 10 different places, and I don't even have a bed anymore, I sleep on mats placed on the ground. I've basically reached a survivalist level, keep only things I really need.
Whoa, a crew neck! Two videos in a row! What brought on this sartorial modification? 😲