RE: Shopping and consuming: Does it really make you happy?
Cool question. Upvoted and followed. I started practicing minimalism ten years ago, and I only spend money on things I have a passion for. Food, cars, cryptocurrencies, investing stocks and my three year old son. I have no material needs, even though as I am growing older and more refined, I try to dress a little more appropriate to my age not always wearing sneakers and hoodies :) In my twenties I was like most 20 year olds in the west, spending my money on material things. I´m sure i produced some hormones while doing it, because i felt pleasure, but the hangover came just as fast..worrying about spending too much money. Now, luckily I never worry when I have to spend some money, because I know what I almost never buy anything that I dont need. What makes me truly happy is being able to follow my dreams and live the life that I want. Not having a nine to five, not doing what everyone else does (putting themselves in life long debt forcing them to make a certain amount of money each month, which never lets them take any chances on anything) Do I really need a nice car? No..do I love cars? Yes. I love the engineering, I love certain designs, I love the passion behind it. And I love driving. Do I personally own a fast expensive car? Nope. Luckily I can borrow one if the urge is too big :) And other than that I put on my headphones and watch a documentary about some classic car. Every human needs passions..and passions often do cost money. I´ve probably spent more than reasonable on fishing gear. But I do love flyfishing, and for that I need some expensive stuff. But it´s different than mindless shopping in my opinion :)
Thanks for your comment and for following me! Just followed you back! :-) I am practicing minimalism for a few years now and it's a very light and happy way of life for me. Even if it's not always easy to reduce things and also fulfill the wishes of your children :-D
In my twenties I was like you, spending a lot of money in things I didn't really need. Today I am more aware of what I buy. I totally agree with you don't always have to possess the things you have a passion for, you can just see, admire, borrow them. It's more the way of enjoying those things as to know they are yours.
But I also have passions that cost money and I am happy to spend it for them. But this is also something which goes together with my lifestyle and my individual way of living and making experiences, so this is okay for me :-)
It's another way of spending money than just going shopping :-)
Thank you so much for your answer, which is inspiring for me! <3
Awesome :) Exactly..One needs to check the premise of things. If the important thing is to OWN that nice fast car, well you´re just shallow and wants to brag. If the important thing is the car itself, the performance, the engineering, the driving experience there are ways to enjoy that without buying it. Sure..people who own exotic cars might own them for the right reasons..not saying that. :)