This post started out with the title “I’m a minimalist – for lack of a better word”.
I wanted to articulate my, often uneasy, feelings about being called a minimalist, though I think I’ve never once referred to myself as one (Ok, maybe apart from the very early tagline of A minimalist lifestyle blog). But I still get a lot of questions about minimalism, how I became a minimalist or how I discovered this lifestyle.
I’ve always tried to dodge these questions because I didn’t want to burst that bubble by saying that “I don’t even consider myself a minimalist”. After all, I wrote a lot about minimalism, simple living, slow living, decluttering, so I should be able to identify with that lifestyle label, right?
Well, I couldn’t. At least not totally.
First of all, I don’t even know what a proper minimalist looks like. I didn’t discover this lifestyle, had a lightbulb moment and became a minimalist and lived happily ever after. It wasn’t how it went down. I’ve always been organized, had this silly obsession with decluttering, and gradually became a conscious shopper throughout the years. I didn’t even know there was a minimalist movement for years.
Second, even though deep down I feel like there are no rules of minimalism, there are a set of characteristics and values that seem to go with that – at least based on the writings and ideas of the niche influencers and their community. And sometimes I couldn’t relate completely to them.
And last, there are a couple of things about minimalism that I actually quite dislike, from throwing around the word clutter all the time to expecting major personal changes exclusively from decluttering stuff (yes, I’m simplifying, but I hope you get the gist.)
How could I identify with something I don’t even believe in wholeheartedly?
As I contemplated and eventually ditched the possibility of calling myself a minimalist, I tried to look for something else to describe my lifestyle and set of beliefs.
By the way, this experiment was not totally separate from my 1-year long struggle of finding my blogging niche. After all, everyone should have a niche to start with, right? This is what all social media and blogging gurus tell us to do from day 1. And for months and months, I desperately tried to find mine, hoping it was somehow tied to my lifestyle (after all, the closest I got to identify myself in terms of blogging categories was lifestyle blogger).
But I fell short.
I wasn’t a minimalist.
I couldn’t call myself an ethical lifestyle blogger either, because while I’m deeply interested in the ethical aspects of shopping and living, I’m no expert, so I probably have no right to call myself one.
I like beauty, but I’m not a skincare guru.
I like fashion as well, though mainly a very distinct aesthetic.
I very much sympathize with simple and slow living, but my lifestyle and aesthetic are often out of line with things this type of living often cherishes. I don’t particularly like cooking, I’m not a big fan of nature, and right now couldn’t imagine not living in a fast-paced city environment.
I don’t lead a totally zero waste or environmentally conscious life, despite my best efforts.
The term I was most comfortable with describing my attitude and life philosophy was intentional living.
So that makes me…an intentional/ist? Shall I throw that into the mass of lifestyle labels and get it trending?
I don’t wanna drag this out into some kind of existential identity crisis because it wouldn’t be true. The more I thought about it, the more comfortable I became with not using any labels to describe my life or blog.
Because I don’t need those labels.
I can and I will share my minimalist tips, even if I don’t put minimalist into my bio.
I can be committed to protecting the Earth even if I drive a car or am not vegan.
I can try to become a better ethical shopper even if I occasionally buy a high-street label.
I can be a fan of organizing and decluttering, even if I’m not totally paperless.
I can be an advocate of slow living even if I don’t want to move to a remote, though breathtakingly beautiful location.
It’s not black and white, all or nothing. We are more than our labels.
(By the way, if you can commit to a specific lifestyle, are comfortable with a special lifestyle term, have a niche, feel part of a community, or are an expert or influencer in your field – I have the utmost respect for you, and I’m slightly envious. This is all for my fellow rootless bloggers or enthusiastic, but often failing lifestyle aspirants.)
I think sometimes we have a difficulty making positive changes exactly because of this all or nothing attitude (and social media bullying and judgment does not help either). I always say that small changes do matter, so don’t let the fact that you’re not the perfect “insert random lifestyle label” keep you from trying. From making small changes, from learning, from slowly improving.
And as for my niche-less blogging attempts?
I hope my personality, words, ideas, aesthetic, experiences, maybe sometimes useful tips, and honesty about my failures can fill up that void.
