I've been practicing some form of minimalism since 2010. I was in college, moving at least once a year, and my physical stuff had become such a burden I decided to get rid of almost all of it. What was left could fit into a suitcase and a carry-on. It was incredible. 

Moving became a breeze, but there were other benefits I hadn’t even stopped to think about. The most immediate one: the savings. Up until that point, shopping was my favorite activity. I lived downtown, the shops were on my doorstep, and I must have been buying something small ($5-$15), what feels like every other day. Now, instead of buying little things, I was able to save up and buy more meaningful things like experiences and higher quality items.  

On top of that, keeping my space tidy and clutter free became automatic. I’ve always been a tidy person, but all the clutter was hidden away in boxes and drawers stuffed to the brim. Now, even the boxes and drawers were tidy, and not because of any effort on my part, there just wasn’t any stuff there. I became so much more present because I wasn’t worried about managing my stuff or how to pay for (or even adjust to) unexpected situations. The peace that practicing minimalism created in my space, wallet, mind, and energy had me hooked. 

But something more powerful was happening underneath, I was developing my non-attachment practice.

What non-attachment really means

Non-attachment has deep roots in various spiritual and philosophical traditions across the world, from Buddhism and Taoism to certain strands of Stoicism and even some Christian contemplative practices. While the specifics may differ, they all recognize the wisdom in holding life lightly.

When I first came across the term in high-school when learning about Buddhism, my immediate interpretation was that it meant that you just don’t care about anything or anyone. That didn’t feel right to me, so I assumed it wasn’t for me and stopped paying attention (ah high-school). But a lot of people have this misconception, and it wasn’t until quite recently that I re-discovered the concept, and realized how I’ve been aiming for it all along. Here’s my understanding:

What non-attachment is:

• Not letting external things, people, or outcomes define your happiness
• Enjoying the present moment without clinging to it
• Accepting the constant nature of change
• Finding inner peace regardless of external circumstances
• Letting go of the need for control

Common misconceptions about non-attachment:

• It doesn't mean not caring
• It's not about emotional coldness
• It doesn't prevent you from forming deep connections
• It's not about withdrawing from life
• It doesn't mean avoiding emotions

When you practice non-attachment you can want big things, you can love so deeply that it brings tears to your eyes, you can dream and pursue and feel and laugh and collect, but you never let it define you. Your identity and inner world don’t depend on things being a certain way. 

How non-attachment differs from minimalism

Minimalism focuses primarily on reducing physical possessions to simplify your life, non-attachment represents the deeper mindset beneath it. Non-attachment applies universally to everything in life, not just physical items, but also to people, outcomes, ideas, and expectations. It's possible to own very little while still clinging tightly to what remains, just as it's possible to own many things while holding them all lightly. 

The practical application of non-attachment

Buying to keep forever but being prepared to let go - There's an interesting paradox in how I approach my possessions now. I buy things with the intention of keeping them forever, choosing quality, and durability, but I also hold them with an open hand, knowing that nothing truly lasts forever. 

Questioning my dependencies - I've become more aware of my dependencies: on electronics, subscriptions, certain foods, apps, cosmetics, and even relationships. Non-attachment has me constantly questioning: "Do I enjoy this, or am I dependent on it? Would I be okay if this disappeared tomorrow?"

Enjoying beauty in the moment - Non-attachment has also transformed how I engage with art and beauty. Where I used to try to make things that appealed to me a part of my identity somehow, I can now appreciate things for what they are. I can enjoy flowers without the need to take a picture to capture or extend them. I can deeply appreciate a piece of art without feeling the need to own a print of it. There's a lightness in appreciating without clinging.

A deeper spiritual dimension

Everything lives within me - The most profound insight from my practice of non-attachment so far, is probably my realization that memories and meaning exist within me, not in objects, places, or people. My grandmothers’ bracelets, which I now wear every day, aren’t valuable because of the physical material they’re made from, but because of the memories and emotions I've associated with them. The significance lives inside me.

Understanding this has been liberating for me. It means that even if I lose the physical item, I still retain what truly matters. This excerpt from A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle describes just this concept. The same applies to places and relationships in my life. When I recognize that I carry the essence of my experiences within me, I can enjoy everything more fully while it's present, without the desperate grasp of fear or lack. 

More authentic connections - Non-attachment allows me to experience people and things as they truly are, rather than as what I need them to be for my happiness. This creates more authentic connections and appreciation in my relationships.

Inner peace - Peace becomes easier when I practice non-attachment, even when there’s constant change and uncertainty. Instead of resisting the natural flow of life, I've learned to move with it. There's a different kind of stability, one that comes from within me rather than from unchanging external circumstances.

How practicing non-attachment has changed me

As an anxious over thinker, becoming conscious of non-attachment has very much helped my mental health. I was always worrying about something, and even when I was happy, I’d find myself anxious about the fact that the happiness might end (this is called “happiness anxiety”). Not a great way to go about life, but I know so many people struggle with this as well. Here’s how I’ve changed though:

• I’m more present - I'm getting better at immersing myself in the present moment instead of dwelling on the past or the future. I feel like I can genuinely enjoy positive experiences and I’m not getting as much happiness anxiety.
• I’m more adaptable - I feel more resilient, flexible, and able to handle what life may throw at me, and I am truly starting to understand what it means to find happiness internally rather than externally. 
• I’m less stressed overall - My overall stress has significantly decreased since I'm not pressuring myself to make everything go a certain way and I worry much less about future outcomes.

Don’t get me wrong, this is a practice, and I am nowhere near my aspirational level of non-attachment. 

I have to work hard to find happiness within, especially with the world being so dark right now. I’m so angry about the blatant disregard for decency. I feel so powerless watching the erosion of democracy. I’m constantly battling my anxieties because I fear for the freedom of the people I care about (and those I don’t know). The effects of climate change are now out in full force yet people are still in denial. 

As you can see, I am still attached. I’m still affected. But my attachment has less to do with me and more with the larger systems and injustices that affect us all. I can find peace within myself on a daily basis, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care. 

Non-attachment as resistance in our current world

For anyone who feels overwhelmed by what’s going on in the world right now, but wants to do something, I recommend leaning into non-attachment. 

In a world designed to keep us perpetually anxious, constantly consuming, and deeply attached to outcomes beyond our control, practicing non-attachment becomes a radical act of resistance.

Our current systems thrive on our attachment: to status, to possessions, to specific outcomes, to social validation. Corporations profit from our insecurities and dependencies. Politicians use our fears to erode democratic norms and common decency. Social media platforms monetize our need for approval. When we're attached, we're easily controlled, easily manipulated, and easily distracted from what truly matters.

Non-attachment doesn't mean disengaging from these struggles, it’s the opposite. When we practice non-attachment, we develop clarity and presence that allows us to act with purpose rather than react from fear or anger.

This practice gives us powerful tools for resistance:

• Emotional resilience -  When we're not defined by external circumstances, we can face difficult realities without becoming overwhelmed. We can stay engaged with painful issues longer because we're not defined by immediate outcomes. This sustained attention is precisely what's needed for long-term advocacy and change.
• Mental clarity - Non-attachment helps cut through the noise and distraction that often keeps us from seeing systemic problems clearly. When we're not desperately clinging to comfortable narratives or desired outcomes, we can better perceive reality as it is.
• Sustainable engagement - Social justice work, climate activism, and political resistance are marathons, not sprints. Non-attachment helps prevent burnout by allowing us to care deeply without carrying the entire weight of the world. It enables us to take breaks without feeling guilty and return to the work refreshed.
• Authentic connection -  Real solidarity comes from seeing others as complete beings, not as projections of our expectations or needs. Non-attachment allows us to build genuine community around our shared humanity rather than anxieties.

Non-attachment isn't passive acceptance of injustice. It's the foundation that allows us to stand firm when everything feels wobbly, to act from a place of centeredness rather than reactivity, and to maintain hope without clinging to specific outcomes. In a world that profits from our attachment, choosing to hold life lightly isn't giving up, it’s healing, it's standing up in the most powerful way possible.

Starting your non-attachment practice

Like any meaningful practice, non-attachment isn't something you master overnight, it's a gradual process of shifting your relationship with the world around you. Here are some ways to ease into your practice: 

• Physical decluttering - Physical decluttering creates visible change. While you’re in the process of letting go, you create the space to observe your attachment patterns and practice challenging them.
• Cultivate gratitude - Recognize what you're grateful for, savor ordinary pleasant moments without clinging to them.
• Embrace wonder and appreciation - When you encounter something, someplace, or someone beautiful, cool, amazing, or any other superlative, bask in that feeling without trying to capture or hold onto it. Appreciate without the thought “I want.” 
• Develop thought awareness - When you notice attachment or anxiety arising, name it (literally say something like “attachment arising") to create space between you and the thought, then visualize releasing it like a bubble floating away.
• Engage in honest reflection - Regularly question your dependencies by asking, "Would I be okay if this disappeared tomorrow?"; when strong emotions arise, get curious about why without immediately labeling your reasons as good or bad.
• Service to others - When we focus on contributing rather than acquiring, we loosen our grip on personal outcomes. Find ways to give without expectation of return.
• Honor change - Instead of resisting change, find ways to honor endings and beginnings. This might mean marking the changing seasons, acknowledging the completion of projects, or commemorating life transitions.

The key to non-attachment is presence. When we're truly present, we aren't chasing our thoughts down rabbit holes or letting our ego speak for us. We're simply experiencing what is, without the mental storylines that create attachment.

Final thoughts

Non-attachment brings both personal peace and a quiet form of resistance in our chaotic world. When we find contentment that doesn't depend on external circumstances, we can become more resilient facing uncertainty, less vulnerable to manipulation through fear or desire, more present with what truly matters, and better equipped to adapt to constant change.

I hope sharing my journey from minimalism to deeper non-attachment has been helpful for you and that you can find some peace within our tumultuous world. The path isn't always easy, but the freedom it creates is like nothing else, a quiet superpower for navigating our complex world with grace and resilience while still being involved and caring deeply.

For more on the intersection of living mindfully and challenging the status quo, I love how Christine Platt approaches these topics (also on Instagram).