Stop Buying “Stuff” and Start Living

I find myself uttering the phrase  “less is more” more times than I’d like to admit.   

How can less be more? And what the heck does that even mean? 

I know team Wild  Flower has heard me say it many times when talking about doing the laundry. Put less towels in the machine, use less laundry detergent and the towels will become more clean. 

I guess what it really means is that less (of anything really) will usually result in a more positive result. Whether that be cleaner towels or a less cluttered, anxious mind. 

When thinking of the concept of having less, “stuff” naturally comes to mind. 

Do you ever feel like “stuff” kind of overtakes your life sometimes? 

Acquiring stuff

Getting rid of stuff

Desiring Stuff 

Checking out the stuff your neighbour has. 

Exhausting.  

Are you able to imagine your life with less stuff in it? What do you think it would look like?  How would you feel?

If you love to journal like I do, this is an awesome thing to contemplate in your writing. It’s really beneficial to make time to reflect on our lives and the things that impact them. And to question whether or not they actually serve us.  

One thing is for certain: stuff has an immensely negative effect on the environment. Think about how much waste you create on a daily basis. 

The World Bank’s “What a Waste ” global database puts Canada as the NUMBER ONE COUNTRY IN THE WORLD FOR PRODUCING GARBAGE.  Our annual waste total is 30,912,409 metric tons.  Put that in your pipe and smoke it (only if the pipe is plastic free and biodegradable and the smoke sustainably sourced).

The trouble with “things” is that the happiness they provide fades quickly.  It’s the kind of high that dissolves quickly and leaves us wanting more.

Now think about how hard you work for your money.  Don’t you want to make sure it is well spent? 

Luckily, we can replace stuff buying with experience buying (or not buying!).  

Science supports this as a healthier and more fulfilling option.  The University of Texas concluded a study saying, “people are happier with experiential purchases over material ones irrespective of when you measure happiness: before, during or after consumption. Experiences also provoke more satisfaction even though people typically spend more time using their material possessions.”

Experiences give more satisfaction and overall happiness for  three reasons according to  Dr. Thomas Gilovich, a psychology professor at Cornell University, who conducted a 20-year study.

1. Experiences become a part of our identity. We are not our possessions, but we are the accumulation of everything we’ve seen, the things we’ve done, and the places we’ve been.
2. Comparisons matter little. We don’t compare experiences in the same way that we compare things. 
3. Anticipation matters. Gilovich also studied anticipation and found that anticipation of an experience causes excitement and enjoyment, while anticipation of obtaining a possession causes impatience. 
4. Experiences are fleeting (which is a good thing).  The very fact that they last for only a short time is part of what makes us value them so much, and that value tends to increase as time passes.

I’ve put together some of my favourite experiences in Ontario and far away. 

Algonquin park – it is easy to spend  the day or weekend in Algonquin park.  Beyond the many hiking trails they have excellent museums and fun nature workshops. 

Dundas Valley School of Art – Dundas Valley School of Art is a thriving hub for artists and art instruction. They offer courses on painting, sculpture or pottery.  

The Swim Club Mexico – Located in Tulum Centro, this spacious two-storey villa has been completely renovated and designed as a vacation rental for living, dreaming and creating.  Owned by Hamilton native creative team Oh Sierra 

Gotham Sidewalks NYC – This fascinating tour takes you through the best of Manhattan’s Lower East Side stunning street art and fine art galleries.  Making for an interesting juxtaposition.

 If you have a favourite experience please hit reply and share it with me!  

I’ve put together a self loving experience you are sure to enjoy.  Click HERE to access. 

XO

Alexis