How Gratitude Will Ensure You'll Live Tiny For The Long Haul
Going tiny often means you are leaping into a new life of minimalism. Prior to living tiny, people living in large spaces often collect belongings and maybe even hoard things. This initial move in can be an overwhelming process as you shed belongings and figure out what you can and cannot bring into your new tiny lifestyle. Practicing gratitude will ensure you’ll live tiny for the long haul.
When you plan to move into a space that is 500 sq. ft. or even less, you must closely consider each item’s purpose in your space. You won’t have space for showing off elaborate collections, and you want to utilize your storage for things you truly need.
Parting ways with stuff can be a weird and emotional process for some people, and incredibly easy for others. Some people have emotional attachments to even the most random thing and keep it for that reason.
An example could be not wanting to get rid of your prom dress, despite not fitting it anymore or having the need to wear it ever again. When you go tiny, whatever closet space you have is precious, so items you do not wear should be discarded. If you truly cannot get rid of an item, then store it away, and oftentimes after something is stored, you find yourself emotionally detaching from it.
Overall, gratitude is a key part of going tiny. If you practice having more gratitude for your necessities, you will find yourself being satisfied with everything you own. A tip for practicing gratitude is to write down something you are grateful for each day. This does not need to be a material item, but it can be.
One day, you may write, “I am grateful for my cup of coffee in the morning.” As you sip that cup of coffee, you experience gratitude as it serves its purpose jump starting your day, being delicious, and being a moment that you enjoy. Recognizing that something as small as a cup of coffee can bring us positive emotions will overtime make your thinking and life outlook more positive.
Other obvious things you will probably find yourself writing down are things like “I a grateful for my best friend’s advice,” or “I am grateful for my sister stopping by.” Being grateful for experiences and people is always good because it makes you appreciate those moments and embrace love.
If you take appreciation for things like special moments in your day or a sweet compliment from a stranger, your worry about consumerism wants is less. If you are grateful for your jacket keeping you warm when you go outside, you will appreciate that item more and the desire for more and more unnecessary stuff will eventually subside.
In a tiny living situation, everything has its place and as you bring in new things, you must get rid of things. This practice makes you aware of wants and needs and brings you more life gratitude.
Practice gratitude everyday for happy tiny living.
