With a new year comes new goals, and we are always looking to improve ourselves, right? Many people focus on goals such as weight loss and eating healthier, quitting smoking, or to be more active, etc. However, because my life has been so hectic lately, my goals were a little bit different.
My goals for the new year included being more present: Taking more time for myself in the sense of trying out a yoga class, going on long walks on nice days, drinking more water, and paying more attention to what foods I put into my body. I also wanted to start reading more books and journaling instead of being on social media in my spare time.
Keeping those goals in mind, I came across a documentary on Netflix called The Minimalists. The minimalists consists of two guys who climbed the corporate ladder in their 20's and eventually earned more than $100,000 a year by being very career driven. However, even though they earned so much money, they still found themselves generally unhappy with life. Instead of doing things that made them happy, they spent all of their time at work.
Another thing they noticed was that their paychecks were being spent at rapid paces. Being in America, we are almost expected to be massive consumers. During the holidays, people in stores literally fight each other over products. Advertising makes us believe that we always need the newest technology, the newest car, or the biggest house with a 3 car garage. Our worth as a human being is based on how much stuff we have. However, that "stuff" isn't exactly making us happy.
The two guys ended up selling or donating almost everything they owned and only kept things in their homes that served a purpose. Who needs a giant closet full of clothes when you actually only wear about 30 of those items? Who needs a junk drawer in your kitchen filled with just that, junk? Why are you holding on to old makeup products or toiletry items in your bathroom when all they are doing is taking up space? Once the guys got rid of the unnecessary things in their homes and stopped buying stuff just to buy stuff, they realized they were much happier. They were able to afford to live the lives they wanted to by working less because they bought less.
Watching this, it really struck a cord with me because lately I've almost felt no direction in my life. Once I graduated college and bought a house, I felt this immense pressure to not only furnish this entire house, but to have it decorated perfectly. I found myself buying furniture and decorations I couldn't afford. In my spare time, I was always out at TJ Maxx or Home Goods just looking around for stuff that I could fill my home with. Stuff that I really didn't need, and that served no purpose in my home. I was living paycheck to paycheck, terrified that I would never pay off my student loans or other debts.
I've always dreamed of traveling and the best decision Ive made for my well being was to quit my permanent job to become a travel nurse. However, I'm still in a lot of debt from my student loans and mortgage. I find myself easily blowing through a paycheck and buying random crap "just because I am a travel nurse and I can afford to treat myself" (my actual words). Literally on my days off I will go shopping just to pass the time. It's a very expensive habit that I need to break.
Instead of spending my money buying random crap, I would like to spend it intentionally on experiences that will make me happy, such as: yoga classes, paint nights, running fun races, or going out to eat with friends.
So the main takeaway I've received from this that I'm going to try to implement:
1. Stop buying stuff just to buy it, and rid your house/apartment of things that you don't need.
- I'm going to seriously declutter my entire house, especially my closet, and throw out or donate a majority of the stuff I don't use. I'm going to majorly cut down on my spending and i'm going to start buying things only with good intention.
2. With the money saved from not spending, i'm going to put it towards new experiences.
- I'm going to focus on paying off my debt, but i'm also going to put it towards experiences that are going to make my life more fulfilling, such as traveling to new countries, spending time with friends and family, art classes, yoga classes, etc.
3. Take more time to care for yourself.
I'm planning on taking more time to think about the foods I put into my body and less about my weight. A number on the scale does not define me. As long as I am happy and healthy and eating the right things, that is all that matters. I'm going to drink more water, read more books, and journal more often.
I challenge you to observe your own life. Are you satisfied with your life, or are you constantly yearning for more? Instead of filling that void with stuff, really think deep down what you want your life to look like. Live your life with more intention, and don't just go through the motions because that's what you're "supposed" to do.
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