“A cushty residence is a superb supply of happiness. It ranks instantly after well being and a superb conscience.” —Sydney Smith, 1843
It’s troublesome to overstate the significance we people place on “residence.”
I as soon as heard a commentator talking concerning the film The Wizard of Oz. His opinion on why it has change into such an iconic movie was “as a result of Dorothy’s journey is in the end one the place her complete purpose is just to return residence. And that longing is true for every of us. All of us want a house the place we’re liked, accepted, and might return to when we have to.”
How fascinating then, for me, after I stumbled throughout this virtually 200-year previous quote from Sydney Smith that speaks of virtually the identical reality: A comfortable home is a superb supply of happiness. On par (virtually) with well being and a pure conscience.
We all know this to be true. Our houses are extra than simply buildings. They could be a nice supply of happiness. They’re locations of refuge away from the world and are the launching pad from which we enter the world to hopefully reside out one of the best variations of ourselves.
They’re locations to share our goals and fears. They defend our households and each maintain our recollections and permit us to create new ones. Our house is a spot to seek out hope, develop safely, and expertise peace in a unkind world.
And at this level, I have to point out that I’m talking of an idealized model of residence. Not everybody has fond recollections of residence or lives right now in a house the place security could be discovered. Some expertise simply the alternative and I’m not discounting that actuality.
It’s true, in some ways, that none of us reside in an ideal residence as a result of our houses are all the time occupied by imperfect people. However I imagine our want for residence to be protected, accepting, calm, and cozy is a part of the human spirit. And for those who would not have one, you seemingly perceive this longing greater than most.
A cushty house is certainly an excellent supply of happiness.
If that’s true, we’d be smart to care deeply concerning the issues we convey into it, maintain in it, and the way our belongings have an effect on that degree of consolation.
Generally we do this nicely. Different occasions, our houses are crammed with issues we don’t actually need. Objects we purchased considering they’d make life higher generally find yourself making it extra sophisticated, extra worrying, much less useful, and fewer comforting.
Even worse, once we fill our houses with extra possessions, we negatively have an effect on the opposite two variables talked about within the quote: each well being and conscience.
Well being
Research present that litter is unhealthy for our well being—each bodily and mentally.
For instance, researchers at UCLA have found a hyperlink between excessive ranges of stress hormones and a excessive density of family objects. In different phrases, litter will increase stress ranges—virtually undoubtedly.
Princeton scientists found {that a} cluttered setting limits our means to focus. Their examine studies {that a} visually disorganized setting has neurological results just like what we expertise when barraged and overwhelmed by a number of totally different noises without delay.
And litter may even trigger overeating, asthma, impaired learning, and loss of sleep quality.
Once we personal greater than we want, we negatively have an effect on two variables of happiness: residence and well being.
However that’s not all. Proudly owning an excessive amount of additionally negatively impacts our conscience as nicely.
Good Conscience
Overconsumption is in the end a results of misplaced intentions and assets. No one’s best worth in life is to only personal as a lot stuff as doable.
We dream larger goals for our life. We need to be trustworthy, loving, and sort. We need to be obtainable to the folks in our life. And we need to make a distinction. These are the values and pursuits that align with coronary heart, soul, and conscience.
However residing with good conscience means making decisions that match our values. That is the place minimalism is so useful. Minimalism helps us purchase much less, purchase deliberately, and match each our spending and power with our values.
Making considerate decisions about what we convey into our houses means we spend cash and assets on issues that really matter to us. Once we align our money and time and power deliberately with our best values, we reside with a clearer conscience.
Why Much less Is Extra
Sydney Smith was an English author within the early 1800’s and will actually by no means have predicted the quantity of issues we accumulate within the fashionable world or the dimensions of our houses.
However his smart phrases proceed to ring true.
Right here is his rating of the highest three components for happiness: well being, good conscience, snug residence.
Embracing minimalism leads to all three. It may enhance our well being by decreasing stress. It may clear our conscience by serving to us make intentional decisions aligned with our values. And it might probably make our houses extra snug by eliminating litter and distraction.
Much less litter, extra happiness.
