Becoming Minimalist

“There are two ways to be rich: One is by acquiring much, and the other is by desiring little.”- Jackie French Koller

I still remember my main goal as a teenager: make tons of money, buy all the things I thought would guarantee me a comfortable and successful life. Back then, I was convinced that success meant having it all — the big house, the fancy car, the latest gadgets, and a wardrobe overflowing with clothes I barely wore. But now, after going through multiple houses, vehicles, closets full of clothes, and endless gadgets and trinkets, I’ve come to a realisation: I was never filling my life with joy or contentment. I was just filling a void.

Instead of bringing me peace, these possessions only added stress. Every new purchase came with maintenance, storage, and the creeping anxiety of securing and keeping all those things. It’s exhausting to constantly feel like you’re chasing something outside yourself to feel whole.

For a while now, I’ve quietly admired people who have embraced minimalism or chosen to downsize into Tiny Houses. And, as I shared in my first post"To New Beginnings", my husband and I are about to take a huge step in that direction. We’re trading in our cluttered, consumer-driven lifestyle for something simpler, something more aligned with who we truly are. Next year, we’re moving onto a sailboat.

I’ll admit, the journey to this realisation hasn’t been a straight line. At times, I’ve wrestled with wanting more and wanting less, but slowly, I’ve become convinced that less really is more. Every time I let go of something I once thought I couldn’t live without, I feel lighter. It’s like shedding invisible layers of weight I didn’t even know I was carrying.

Suddenly, I have more time for what matters. More time to experience life in its raw, natural form. Letting go of my need to control how my life looks from the outside has given me the freedom to embrace how it feels on the inside. I’ve learned that living authentically, being grounded in the present moment, is worth far more than any material possession ever could be.

But here’s the thing — I don’t think there’s a one-size-fits-all standard when it comes to minimalism or simplicity. Everyone has their own balance of what they need to feel fulfilled, and that’s okay. The issue for me was that I wasn’t living for myself. I was living for appearances, for how I thought the world wanted me to look, to succeed. And for the longest time, I didn’t even realize it. It took years to understand that most of my choices had been driven by external expectations rather than my own inner desires.

When that truth hit me, it was a harsh wake-up call. Can you imagine living your life without ever truly knowing what you want? Without ever asking yourself who you are? I had been so focused on what others thought success looked like that I lost touch with what it really meant for me. It was a painful realization, but necessary. And now, it’s time to lay all my cards on the table.

Here’s the vision for my family’s future: We’re going to live on a sailboat when we’re at sea (which we hope will happen by next spring!), and when we’re on land, we’ll call a Tiny House home. As nomads, the sea and the road have always called to us, and these two options will allow us to follow our wanderlust while keeping our roots shallow enough to move when the time is right. I grew up on a tropical island, so I naturally gravitate towards land and the sun. My husband, raised in a cold continental climate, loves the sea and the sun. So, why not have both? Six months at sea, six months on land — it’s our dream compromise.

Of course, this lifestyle means we’ll need to downsize dramatically, and we’ve already started. Let me tell you, the process of decluttering and letting go has been nothing short of liberating. Each item we part with feels like we’re taking another step toward freedom.

Our new life will be centered around simplicity. Less stuff, more moments. More time spent outdoors, cooking together, fishing, learning, reading, playing, dancing, and exploring new places. More time for health, mindfulness, and being present with our son. It’s not about deprivation; it’s about focusing on what truly brings joy.

We used to work endless hours, chasing careers that were never quite satisfying, always aiming for the next “bigger” thing. But what we’ve realized is that this isn’t the legacy we want to leave for our children. We’ve decided to live first, work just enough to support the life we love, and let go of the superficial goals and objects that won’t mean anything at the end of our journey. We’re choosing authenticity over ambition, contentment over consumption.

Minimalism isn’t radical; it’s a return to logic, especially in a world that’s spinning faster and faster with consumerism. It’s a conscious choice to tread more lightly on this Earth and to focus on the things that matter — health, love, family, and the kind of happiness that can’t be bought.

So, as we prepare to sail into this new chapter of our lives, I feel more grounded than ever. We’re ready to embrace the unknown, live with less, and make space for more of what makes us truly alive.

Sarah the Digital GypSea

Romania, August 2019