8 Ways Minimalism has Changed My Perspective

17 years ago, on May 26, 2008, my life changed forever. After spending most of my Memorial Day weekend cleaning the garage, I struck up a conversation with my neighbor. As I recall, we were lamenting the fact that our day had been wasted taking care of the things that we owned. It wasn't a long conversation, but it was long enough for her to introduce me to the idea of minimalism. That there is more joy to be found in owning less than we can ever find pursuing more. I actually needed very little convincing at the time. My five-year-old son was playing alone in the backyard while I had cleaned out my garage. And that was all the proof I needed that I owned too much stuff and it was getting in the way of the life I wanted to live. Over the course of the next nine months, Kim and I went through every room in our home getting rid of anything and everything we didn't need. In total, roughly two-thirds of our possessions were recycled, donated, or thrown away. To journal the progress, I started a blog, becoming minimalist, and eventually this YouTube channel. And by now, that blog, and this channel, and my books have reached millions of people around the world with the life-giving message of owning less. Little did I know at the time how much my life would change. But as I look back at the last 17 years, I can see how becoming a minimalist has changed my perspective on life in ways I never thought imaginable. Here are eight significant ways my perspective has changed. Number one, money. Like most people growing up, I wanted to be rich. I used to think about it, dream about it, and pursue it. But now, after finding contentment with less, I no longer have a desire for riches. Henry David Thoreau said it this way, I make myself rich by making my wants few. Now, not only do I no longer desire to be wealthy, I can actually see the troubles associated with it. Better than ever before, I can plainly see the temptation and the trap that often ensnares those who desire to be rich. Number two, minimalism changed my perspective on work. Some people view work as a means to get rich, and I think that's too bad. Others, on the other hand, can't wait to escape work, even embracing minimalism as a means to that end. Again, I don't love it. I see work entirely differently today. Minimalism has allowed me to see work as a means to personal fulfillment. Not because of the paycheck that it produces, but in the good I can bring to society through it. Number three, generosity. I now understand that the most fulfilling thing we can ever do with our money is give it away. Most of us desire to be generous people, and buying less makes that possible. It's true for me, and it can be true for you. Number four, minimalism changed my perspective on culture. Minimalism has allowed me to see the world around me in a brand new way. Very early in my minimalist journey, while doing research for the Becoming Minimalist blog, I stumbled upon the Story of Stuff on YouTube. I'll link to that video in the description below, because it changed my perspective on society almost immediately. I began to see how overconsumption is encouraged in every aspect of our economy, from fashion and furnishings to food and housing. And once you see it, you can never unsee it. Number five, spirituality. There is little doubt that almost every respected religious leader that has stood the test of time has talked about the value and importance of simplicity. For most of my life, I consider this a call to sacrifice, that I should give up the good life of owning a whole bunch of stuff so that others might benefit. However, since discovering and experiencing the benefits of minimalism, I've begun to recognize these teachings are not burdensome at all. They are an invitation to a better way of life, unburdened, with needless stress. In fact, my next book, Uncluttered Faith, coming out in 2026, will be all about this topic, and I'm looking forward to it. Number six, happiness. I've studied quite a bit about happiness over the last 17 years, but if I could sum up everything I've learned into one sentence, it would be this. Happiness is not something to be chased or discovered through external circumstances. Happiness is a decision that we make every single day, and that makes experiencing it that much easier. Number seven, relationships. I've always understood the importance of strong relationships. Minimalism hasn't changed that, but minimalism has caused me to recognize how often we sacrifice those relationships for less important pursuits, and recognizing how those pursuits often distract us from the more important ones is the very foundation of minimalism. And number eight, another way that minimalism has changed my perspective on life is in terms of success and competition. You see, for most of my life, I viewed the opportunity for success as finite, that every time somebody else reached a level of success, it was one less opportunity for me, and this often resulted in jealousy and envy and competition. But today, I see it very differently. There are countless opportunities to succeed in living meaningful lives, and oftentimes, the quickest way for each of us to succeed in life is to help someone else succeed in theirs. It's been a pretty crazy 17 years. Looking back on that Saturday morning, I never would have imagined that it would eventually lead to writing books, founding nonprofits, even being on television and newspapers. Then again, I had no idea how minimalism would change everything about me in both my practice and my perspective.