极简主义生活真的有那么难吗？| Why it's so hard to lead a minimalist lifestyle?
戳音频听本篇推送的英语全文哦 ☟☟☟
Who are minimalists?
什么样的人是极简主义者？
Minimalists refer to people who choose to live comfortably with as few material possessions as possible.
极简主义者指的是那些用尽可能少的物质追求舒适生活的人。
This decision doesn't come from lack of motivation or ambition. As a matter of fact, many of them make reasonably solid incomes. It's rather a personal decision and a means to not only ensure financial stability but also as a way of disconnecting from the zeitgeist of wealth-seeking and enjoying life for its simple beauty.
极简主义者并不缺乏动力或志向。实际上，他们中的许多人收入都相当不错。极简生活是个体的选择，他们以此巩固财务稳定，更把它视作切断物欲、享受生活简单美的一种方式。
Three major struggles
三大难点
Everyone has different reasons for holding onto everything they own. These are the reasons people usually struggle with when trying to lead a minimalist lifestyle.
出于各种原因，每个人对已经拥有的一切很难舍弃。下面三个原因令许多人对“极简主义”的生活望而却步。
1. Reducing isn't a priority
精简物品又不是优先事项
It is hard to make the time to actively reduce what we own, especially when we've already managed to cut down life's inventory in half.
抽时间清理物品特别困难。更何况我们已经费劲把物品精简了许多。
But the truth is, minimizing would help one become more productive. For example: It's five minutes less making room for your bicycle. Another five minutes you don't have to shift everything around when it's time to sweep the floor.
但真相是，清理物品能使我们做事更加高效。举个例子：给自行车腾个空间出来要不了五分钟。但放好后，当你想打扫地板的时候就不用再移动各种物品了。
The minutes here and there all add up, and it's less visual clutter. It all means one has more attention to focus on the tasks at hand.
时不时整理一下物品，这样积少成多，你的空间会变得更加整洁。这可以使你更加专注于手中的任务。
2. Getting rid of stuff is scary
丢掉物品简直太可怕了
We tend to create an identity around the things we own. It is difficult for us to let go of things we already spent money on, even if it doesn't make sense to keep them.
我们很轻易地就会给身边的东西附加上含义。我们很难舍弃花钱买来的东西，尽管它们已经没什么用了。
One box is full of art stuff: Portfolio pieces, high end markers, paints and pencils. The fact is you don't practice art much these days. But, it's a huge mental block to know there are ultimatums to be made about your art supplies. You've held onto them for this long, just in case, right?
一个盒子里装满了画画工具：组合器具，高端马克笔，颜料和铅笔。事实上你现在已经很少画画了。但是，一想到必须要清理这些工具，你就心痛不已。毕竟保存了这么久，只是为了不时之需，不是吗？
Realistically, you get the urge to paint or draw only a few times a year, and even then you rarely actually do.
现实情况是，一年里你只有几次会想到画画，但即便想到了，你也很少真的去画。
The rational decision is to get rid of most of it, because you don't have the space for it.
理智决定的话，你应该扔掉它们，因为已经没有空间继续存放这些东西了。
But that makes you sad. (Which makes you ignore the problem, because you know how it's going to end.)
但那样却会使你伤心。（伤心使你忽略这个问题，因为你对这一切再清楚不过。）
3. Organizing takes effort
整理东西很费劲呐
Finding space where there is none takes creative thinking and wizardry you didn't know you had. There is effort involved, which you spent a lot of time anticipating and avoiding.
在原本没有空间的地方挤出空间，你得发挥想象力，甚至得变“魔术”——连你自己都没有挖掘过这些能力。你得花大量精力去做，而曾经的你一度在臆想和逃避。
Clearing out belongings takes physical labor. Not to mention, the whole process is emotionally draining. Most people are still not used to dealing with sentimental value in a healthy way.
清理物品需要实打实的力气。更别提，整个过程其实非常消耗精神。大多数人仍然无法用健康的方式处理情感价值。
There isn't much to be done other than doing it. Stop thinking about what is involved, and just freaking do it.
除了放手去做，没有别的方式。别再想整个过程还有什么，直接去做吧。
Minimalism will help you find happiness
极简主义可以帮你找到幸福
Despite any initial hardship, there are those who stand by their minimalist values, in synthesis with society at large and find happiness and advantages in the lifestyle once it's been fully integrated into their day-to-day lives.
尽管一开始很困难，但仍有人一边和社会保持着和谐相处，一边坚持着极简主义的信条。当极简主义融入他们的日常生活后，他们便能在这种生活方式里找到快乐和优势。
Benefits such as,
极简主义的好处有：
Reduced decision fatigue
减少做决定带来的疲惫
Freedom from fear, worry, and anxiety
不用再担惊受怕焦虑
Focus on the value of life
专注在生活本身的价值上
How to become a minimalist one step at a time?
如何一步步成为极简主义者？
Though the extreme may not be for everyone, there are certain things that the average person can do, to get a taste of what it's like to live with less.
尽管不是所有人都适合过这种极端的生活，但想要体验一下简单生活，普通人也可以，只要做到下面这些：
You can start by assessing your belongings and considering what you may be able to live without.
可以评估一下自己的物品，看看哪些清理了也不妨碍自己好好生 活。
Slowly begin to sell, donate, or throw away items that you may not need or create useless clutter.
对于不再需要的物品可以慢慢转手卖掉、捐赠或丢弃。
Once the clutter is gone, see what electronic devices that you could live without.
杂物清理好之后，看看哪些电子产品不是自己必需的。
Continue to assess the things in your life, that you may have little to no use for.
对那些不太用得到的物品继续评估。
Try going a lengthy amount of time without buying in excess what you need.
试着过一段足够长的不购买多余物品的时光。
Embrace the change and discover the meaning of life
拥抱改变，发现生活的意义
If you're willing to make the change, and attempt to downgrade your lifestyle, even incrementally, you may find yourself living a happier and overall healthier existence.
如果你愿意改变，愿意逐步精简自己的物品，你或许会过上一个更开心更健康的生活。
Don't shy away in fear of change. Embrace what's on the other side of what you're accustomed to. Just one small change at a time can lead you to discovering a whole new meaning to fulfillment in your life.
在改变面前不要逃避。在已经习惯某种生活的时候，你得对另一种完全不同的生活方式保持开放和拥抱的心态。每一点改变逐渐积累，你会渐渐发现生活另一种全新的意义。
Source: Life Hack
Intern editor: Shang Zhen
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