When Stuff Isn't Enough

Photo by Beth Macdonald on Unsplash

Is it possible to live well with less?

That’s a question many of us may find difficult to answer without some serious contemplation.

Most of us have felt pressure at some point to obtain the material trappings of success that outwardly proclaim how well we’re doing.

But keeping up with everyone else can carry some unexpected price tags.

Many of us still view acquiring bigger and better material goods as the only sure measure of success.

But there comes a point where simply acquiring more things cannot bring satisfaction.

In fact, we can reach a point where our material possessions own us rather than the other way around.

This is something that can become very apparent when you have to pack up and move your belongings.

There’s also a lot of unnecessary stress that comes with keeping up appearances to impress people we don’t even know.

The idea here isn’t that money is bad or material things are evil.

It’s an acknowledgement that stuff is not enough to give purpose to our lives.

Too much focus on acquiring material things transforms us into a slightly more well-adjusted version of Gollum whenever we start obsessing over whatever constitutes our latest version of “precious.”

Avoiding the chains of debt and choosing to live beneath our means is an effective way to stop worrying about how others perceive us.

Living well on less allows us to drastically reduce our expenses.

This, in turn, creates greater personal independence.