Joshua Becker Quotes

Minimalism in the service of others is a logical extension of the same ethos of selflessness.

It feels better to do stuff than to have stuff.

Learn to enjoy things without owning them. Ownership is nothing, access is everything. Visit a library, a park, or a museum.

We were never meant to live life accumulating stuff. We were meant to live simply enjoying the experiences of life, the people of life, and the journey of life - not the things of life.

We have too quickly bought into the lie that we'll be happier with more - and as a result, too often miss the joy that comes from owning less.

Remember, your memories are not stored in the object; the memories are in you.

We are faced with 5,000 advertisements every day calling us to buy more.21

Have the courage to build your life around what is really most important to you.

In our overcrowded homes today, most possessions are not truly "belongings." They are only distracting us from the things that do belong.

Asking "Who can I help today?" will always lead to a more fulfilling life than "How can I make more money today?

Owning less is better than organizing more.

The pursuit and purchase of physical possessions will never fully satisfy our desire for happiness.

If you're not using the stuff in your home, get rid of it. You're not going to start using it more by shoving it in a closet somewhere.

How to Handle Gifts as a Minimalist.

1) Needs over wants
2) Quality over quantity
3) Experiences over possessions
4) Gift list as early as possible
5) Consumables over non consumables.

I cannot believe that the purpose of life is to be happy. I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be compassionate. It is, above all to matter, to count, to stand for something, to have made some difference that you lived at all. - Leo Rosten

The typical person saw over 5,000 advertisements yesterday telling them to buy something new.

Here's 1 with the opposite message: Buy Less.

Minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of anything that distracts us from it.

You don't need more space. You need less stuff.

Embracing a life content with fewer possessions has modeled for them the important truths that personal belongings are not the key to happiness, that security is found in their character, and that the pursuit of happiness runs a different road than the pursuit of possessions.

The American Dream has been defined in dollar signs and square footage.

Our excessive possessions are not making us happy. Even worse, they are taking us away from the things that do. Once we let go of the things that don't matter, we are free to pursue all the things that really do matter.

Purposefully owning less begins to take us out of the unwinnable game of comparison.

One of the reasons we keep so many sentimental items in our homes is because there is no boundary to force our hand in making a decision. As a result, more and more boxes get moved into the attic to store this ever-increasing collection. Instead, set an arbitrary boundary: one box, one drawer, or one shelf.

Often it is those who live quietly, modestly, and contentedly with a simple life who are the happiest.

There may be times when competition is appropriate, but life is not one of them. We have all been thrown together at this exact moment on this planet. And the sooner we stop competing against others to "win," the faster we can start working together to figure it out. The first and most important step in overcoming the habit of competition is to routinely appreciate and compliment the contribution of others.

Overscheduled children lose the space to simply be with themselves and learn the art of being alone. In our noisy, busy world, the importance of developing the life skill of solitude, meditation, and quietly being with oneself can not be overstated.

Realize that significance is not dependent upon success. Too many people fall into the trap of thinking, "Once I make it rich, I'll become significant." This is rarely the case. Begin striving for it now.

Living life is more enjoyable than managing and organizing stuff!

Teach your kids to reject blind conformity. Because when they do, rarely will they discover their heart desires more money, possessions, fame, or power. It will usually ask for something far more countercultural than those.

There is more joy to be found in owning less than can ever be found in organizing more.

Almost half the world - over three billion people - live on less than $2.50 a day. 1.1 billion people have inadequate access to clean water and 2.6 billion lack basic sanitation. Let those facts sink in for just a moment ... and slowly allow gratitude and a desire to become part of the solution find a place in your heart.

Sometimes, minimizing possessions means a dream must die. But this is not always a bad thing. Sometimes, it takes giving up the person we wanted to be in order to fully appreciate the person we can actually become.

Your life is far too valuable to be wasted on the life that everyone else is choosing.