Despite living in a 45-square-foot space and owning only 7 pieces of clothing, a doctor couple feels calmer and more comfortable with their current lives.
According to a report by Berita Harian, 36-year-old Dr Amirah Amieya Mohammad and her husband, 38-year-old Dr Muhammad Aiman Salahuddin, are choosing to live as minimally as possible, as compared to their prior lifestyle. Dr Amirah shared that the idea to adopt a ‘frugal minimalist’ lifestyle began during her schooling days.
A Malaysian doctor couple shares why they chose the ‘frugal minimalist’ lifestyle
“At that time, I was not confident, and from there, I tried to prove to people that I was a ‘successful’ person. Because of that, I started wearing expensive clothes and carrying expensive bags. Despite doing that, I still felt unhappy, and my mental health was very bad,” she said.
Having tried to find a solution to this problem until 2017, she finally came across the minimalist concept. Adopting this, she and her husband moved into a room at her clinic earlier this year.
“We previously rented a small studio apartment and then decided to downsize our space.”
Fear and decisions
Dr Amirah explained that one of the biggest challenges she faced when transitioning to a minimalist lifestyle was the fear of falling behind the latest trends. However, she ultimately decided to get rid of ‘useless’ things and choose minimalism.
“I have left behind designer bags, big apartments and all the expensive things. I still stand by my stance of wanting to live in a minimalistic way that has kept me going until now,”
“In addition to only having 7 pieces of clothing, I also limit myself to only one type of shoe. As for gadgets, I only use one type of tablet to watch movies, read books and do work online, and don’t use books at all,” she added.
Dr Amirah shared that one of the tips for someone starting a minimalist lifestyle is to start with small steps, such as getting rid of clothes that are no longer used.
“When we get used to getting rid of things that we no longer use, it will become a habit in our lives. Additionally, the right purpose of getting rid of things is also one of the important tips so that our actions do not stop halfway,” she said.
Happiness doesn’t necessarily mean luxury
The main reason for the switch to a minimalist lifestyle is for mental and emotional health, rather than money.
“This minimalist life makes me calmer, and I can treat my patients better without feeling pressured by other things,”
“My husband, himself, has been a minimalist since he was single. When we live in this minimalist situation, it is not something foreign. We will both improve our lives financially,” she added.
What do you think about this? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section.
