How to Become Dead to Consuming

https://youtu.be/Nis6xNihPS4

Each new journey of life begins in the mind. When you take over your thoughts, that’s when you become extremely powerful. You become in control of your actions, your lifestyle and see amazing transformations.

I grew up in a Russian family, where the majority of the diet consists of meat, sour cream, lots of pastries and bread. I’m not kidding! To add the American culture we grew up eating cereal for breakfast and processed foods throughout my childhood years. I was never fat, nor were any of my siblings. An amazing thing happened to me about five years ago. I watched a handful of food documentaries in one night and decided to go plant based the very next morning. A lot of people were screaming, “you won’t make it, it’s the tiny steps that make it count to any transition, you need to ease into it.” But, my mind screamed, NO and I can do this! I took a hold of my thoughts and told my body that I will stop eating meat, cheese, and dairy. I told myself that the food I grew up living on, is now dead to me.

Thoughts, turn into actions

Learning that I can change my thought process in order to change my life was a revelation to me. Now, going five years strong, I do not crave the food I used to eat growing up, nor do I crave the processed cereal boxes and all of that sour cream anymore. I had a mind shift that resulted in a new lifestyle change in my body. From that point on, I would feed my brain with whole foods (grains, fruit, and vegetables). Now get this, no one in my entire family or extended family is vegetarian. Everyone still follows the traditional food pyramid so I became an “outcast.”

I’m not here to talk about animal cruelty, or to force anyone to follow any particular diets. I’m here to explain that any lifestyle changes and improvements has to come from within the mind and a huge mental shift will need to occur.

How this effects minimalism

It will have to be a drastic transformation of your thought process. To the point where you are sick to the stomach of thinking that you need to buy, yet another gadget, another clothing piece, or another kitchen gadget. You will have to be dead to materialism and the minimalism lifestyle will then become second nature to you.

What are your thoughts when you see that brand new exercise equipment being advertised on TV? Do you tell yourself that I will lose weight if only I buy it? I need that exercise equipment because I’ll become more healthy? I need, and want, and need it now?! There’s nothing wrong with exercising, in fact it’s great and healthy for you; however, there are free alternatives to working out. Is there a way I can workout for free, rather than buying something new? Yes – it’s called: YouTube exercise videos. There’s a million of them online for free. Put on your tennis shoes and yoga pants and get moving in your house/apartment!

So, the next time your eyes see something that your mind tells you is a need, take control of that thought and toss something back to it. Tell your mind that I can live without that particular item, because…

• you have a free alternative,
• it’s only a want but not a need,
• you can use something that you already own to replace that item,
• you can borrow that item from someone, etc.

Tell your mind that you became dead to consuming

Once you become dead to consuming, and become alive to creating life memories, and exploring activities, than you will see a change. You will need to wake up every morning and take charge of your thoughts. Take a grasp of that temptation and throw it out the window. Turn off that social media , TV and off your electronic gadgets that are causing a distraction in your mind. You are bigger and better than that next fashion statement that’s looking at you from the inside of the store.

A change in the mind will cause real and deep actions to what’s coming next in your life. A drastic lifestyle change will occur. You will save tons of money, you will become free from consuming, you will become free from clutter, you will wake up and want to throw all that junk in your closets, garages, and storages because you decided to become dead to materialism. You will find true happiness that will draw you to make valuable memories, rather than consuming and storing of goods.

Imagine this, you won’t have to worry about how much is in your bank account to buy a better TV. You’ve decided you don’t need it because you already own one, and better yet, if you don’t own one you don’t need it (I grew up without a TV in our house my entire life). You will want to live to get by with as little stuff you can possibly live without. Do something different in your life, and become that “outcast” from your family. I’m still an outcast in my family gatherings. Family members still ask me when I’m going to start eating meat again!

Get out there and serve your community, volunteer, and become free from the debt that is chocking you, and all the horrible spending habits.

Choose to have a mental shift and you will see great results. Everything else will be second nature and you will embrace minimalism with open arms.