More Than Enough !!

  Your soul has a void, not your home.

Sarah peered out the window on a grey day. In spite of the torrential rain, the summer flowers in the backyard appeared to be waving joyfully at her. The weather had not made her happy. She was eager to go shopping. Exactly what did she wish to purchase? Nearly all of her needs have been met. She has accumulated a lot of items in her home due to her shopping addiction that she probably won't use very often.

Material possession do not always bring happiness!

But Sarah is not the only one who feels this way. Today, a lot of individuals rely on material possessions to satisfy their needs or relieve stress. The fact that marketing and advertising have mastered the art of persuading consumers to purchase products doesn't help either. It has a significant effect on the nation's capitalist, the growth-oriented economy as well. According to this logic, increased consumer spending benefits everyone. (Ignore the environmental effects of all this production and waste, or the reality that they sometimes spend money they don't have.) People inherently want things.

Era of Consumerism

But the roots of American consumption are also sociological factors that are typically ignored. We all experience social pressure to keep up with others. And in an increasingly unequal society, those at the top are the ones doing most of the consuming, while those at the bottom either struggle to keep up or are ultimately left battling for scraps.

 Enough is a decision, not an amount - Alison Faulkner

On the other side, Sarah’s sister, Maryam is the exact opposite of her. She prefers to read a book at home while she is home by herself. Maryam’s house doesn't have a lot of furniture. Additionally, she constantly gets rid of items that are not being used. It seems like more and more individuals are feeling stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed as a result of clutter.

Like Maryam, many people in this contemporary day prefer simple living or living with less. Without a doubt, stress and anxiety are the main causes of people's decision to live simply or minimally. They made the decision to act after realising how their extra possessions contributed to their anxiousness.

The Sustainable Minimalist podcast presenter Stephanie Seferian asserts that "minimalism is the deliberate decision to live with less." She continues, "For instance, while I maintain a clutter-free house and lifestyle, I also apply minimalism to my social calendar since I enjoy doing less. As a result, I have more free time to spend with the people I love and do the activities I actually love.

 What possible benefits may living on less have? Here is the list that might be helpful in this regard.

-More quality time: Less clutter equals more time for family and friends and less  time spent cleaning or organising. With minimalism, we may concentrate on our top objectives.

- More money. Because you'll be purchasing and keeping fewer items, having fewer possessions means saving more money. You'll also realise that spending money on experiences and quality time with loved ones rather than just tangible possessions is a better use of your money.

-Good for the environment: By buying less and using less, you'll also be reducing your consumption of the planet's natural resources — therefore doing your part to help out the environment!

-Increased attentiveness and thankfulness: You'll be able to appreciate what you already have more if you try to live on less. Minimalism, allows you to appreciate a few items in a physical environment in a deeper sense than having tonnes of crowded stuff. It is quite similar to mindfulness in that it prompts you to think about the things you do and don't include in your life.

Our Actions!!

Finally, there are actions we may do in our daily lives to combat covetousness. First, some introspection can be beneficial. Over the course of a few months, we could keep track of and categorise our spending. This might help us better grasp what we need and how to stop squandering money. Second, a commercialization opportunity would be helpful. During this time, try to avoid participating in any promotions, shopping trips, looking through encyclopaedias, watching home renovation shows, or other similar pursuits. This is both liberating and unconventional. Finally, simply depart with some cash. Make a promise to a nonprofit organisation, a neighbourhood watch group, or a help organisation to provide a certain amount of money on a regular basis. It might be challenging but in the end very rewarding.

Although Sarah and Maryam have quite different outlooks on life, they both need to take a break from their hectic schedules and unwind in some way. Since I am not in their shoes, I am not here to pass judgement on anyone. But I do believe that leading a simple existence is a style of life that is good for both you and the rest of society and the environment.