It shouldn't come as a surprise to you that you may still encounter various temptations after diving into a minimalist lifestyle. Decluttering and getting rid of things is such a liberating experience, but those uplifting feelings of relief and freedom from your possessions are constantly warred against by the desperate feelings of need and want. Our society, especially during this time of year, bombards us on a minute by minute basis with all of the things we need to be happy and healthy and successful. My current problem areas are Walker and Ebay.
Walker is a baby and baby things are cute, so it is a DAILY challenge to say no to things I want to buy him. I obviously don't deprive him of things he needs and he is currently swimming in a pile of toys in the middle of his floor, so we're not having a problem there either. But I do have to constantly remind myself that he might need some new sweats to fit his growing little legs, but he doesn't need all eight pairs of the new sweats on Zara. He might need a toy food basket to go with his play kitchen for Christmas, but he doesn't need a basket for every food group, he's not actually eating the darn things. When I'm 100% honest, 95% of the things I want to buy him are really for myself, which is a humbling observation.
Ebay is so tempting for me. I love to buy used items on Ebay for multiple reasons including discounted prices, support for small businesses, environmental conscientiousness, etc. I think it's a great way to get quality items that will last at more affordable prices, especially when we're talking about clothing. The problem isn't the calculated, thought-out, researched items I buy. The problem is the suggested sales Ebay throws at me multiple times a day based on previous purchases. It is SO tempting when you see things you want at such cheap prices, and the auction-style sales are so enticing in themselves. I needed one pair of shorts, so I found some and bid on them and won them, but now I have suggestions day in and day out for similar items! I still have it in my head that I need them, so my initial reaction is to bid on them, but I have to remember that I need ONE pair of shorts, not two, not ten...and that one pair is already in my dresser.
Just a little transparency today. I still struggle with the desire to consume. It seems that would only be natural as it's been ingrained in my identity for 25 years. Don't be discouraged if you have days again when stuff seems to define you. Minimalism is a journey. Take some time in those moments to think about who you are. What really defines you? I'm not the mom in our neighborhood defined by the least number of Lululemon yoga pants or the smallest amount of Christmas decorations, I'm the mom defined by my sweet Walker. I'm not the girl defined by wearing the same few outfits to church every Sunday, I'm a child of the King defined by grace and salvation. The craziest thing is you're most likely the only person defining yourself by the lies of materialism. When is the last time you looked at someone and thought WOW that girl doesn't have nearly enough stuff, how pathetic is she? Probably never! The ugly paradox of materialism is that the point is to impress everyone, but the only person who cares about the stuff is you.
Now get out there in this week of family and Thanksgiving and celebration, and value yourself and your family for who you are and the experiences you've shared...without the stuff.
No comments:
Post a Comment