Have you ever noticed that the more stuff you have, the more stuff you have?
We live in a world marked by over consumption, which is why it’s easy to feel like we never have enough stuff. We earn money to purchase stuff, want more money to purchase more stuff, buy houses to store stuff, and want bigger houses to store more stuff. But the more stuff you have, the more “Stuff” you have – meaning, I believe the amount of physical stuff in your life is directly proportional to your level of emotional “Stuff,” more commonly known as “emotional baggage.”
By minimizing attachment to stuff, you can minimize your level of “Stuff.”
A few years ago, I had a car, condo, furniture, and attic full of stuff. When I got divorced, I got rid of my car, and gave my condo and furniture to my ex-husband. I flew to Brazil for 6 months, and left the rest of my stuff in storage. With minimal bills to pay, and minimal responsibilities, I felt emotionally free. I lived out of a suitcase, wore the same 3 outfits over and over, and learned to be content with a minimalist’s lifestyle – no cell phone, no dryer, no dish washer, limited access to internet, and very little stuff.
When I arrived back in the US, all of sudden I had stuff to deal with, and stuff I needed, or that society told me I needed. I needed a car, I needed a cell phone, I needed a dryer, and I needed to find someplace to put my stuff. Every “need” created stress; there were moments when I wished I could burn my stuff in the car I never wanted to own.
The more stuff I had, the more “Stuff” I had.
In order to make a living, we do need some physical stuff. But I constantly hear about the stress unnecessary stuff causes in peoples lives: “My TV broke,” “My new shirt is stained,” “I can’t find my keys under all of this clutter,” “I’m in debt from all this stuff I bought.”
Maybe you constantly loose stuff in your house, or your desk is disorganized and your work performance is suffering. Maybe your struggling to pay off credit card bills for stuff you bought to maintain a lifestyle you thought you needed. Maybe you’re dealing with the headache of replacing broken electronic appliances. Take a look around: how can you simplify? What stuff do you really need? How much time do you spend stressing over stuff you can eliminate? Why do you feel like you need all of this stuff?
If you’re feeling like you’re drowning in a sea of “Stuff,” find a way to simplify the amount of stuff you have in your life. Eliminate one piece of stuff per week, and see how quickly you lighten your emotional baggage.
