You do not have to love minimalism to practice minimalism.

At times, I feel it is pushed as a cure-all. (Not a fan of cure-alls in general.) But it does have some benefits that can be experienced even if your sudden lack of material possessions is not by choice.

Having only a few things makes you more creative in the use of what you do have. What is the old adage, “when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail”? Well, sometimes you are trying to kit bash a hammer out of a broken screwdriver and a mop handle. In addition great art, and great ideas, come from limitations. You will exercise the creative faculties of your mind more when you cannot easily distract your brain by buying a new thing.

It is easier to cultivate appreciation and contentment when you remove buying your way out of an inconvenience as a viable option.

Most of us live better than ancient kings did. Think about it. Yeah they had a big palace, lots of shiny things around them, and people at their beck and call. You live in a clean, soft mini-palace, temperature controlled, with hot and cold water at your fingertips, and a vaster array of entertainment and food for the mind and soul on the single device you are using than they could have conceived of. They would have fainted to see the luxury in which you live.

Finally, minimalism teaches you the old skills. Walking with a friend, singing to amuse yourself and others, making up your own jokes, making up your own games with dice and paper, watching the birds play across a clear sky. Being alone with your thoughts.

These are the deep skills. There are profound things to be learned by, from time to time, living a simpler way.

Even reluctant minimalism can teach a reluctant learner a lesson.