We Need To Realize That Happiness Lies Within Ourselves, Not Material Possessions

In today’s world, we are constantly looking for the newest version of products, the next best thing, the better upgrade. This starts at a young age, when we throw tantrums in order to get the newest toy, and sometimes continues into our adult lives.

Our hard-earned money is wasted on clothes, cars and useless technology. Whether we are aware or not, obsessing over money or material objects is a coping mechanism to mask our unhappiness, and an ineffective one at that.

Trying to obtain instant gratification through material objects may work for a second, but only a second. We constantly want something other than what we currently have and we want it NOW. Most of us don’t even realize that this is how we think because it’s just how our brains are naturally wired.

Blame it on what you want -- society or negative upbringing -- but a huge amount of us live a life of stress and unhappiness, thinking that it’s “normal.”

When we are feeling sh*tty about ourselves, which we are most of the time, we buy things to fill the void that resides within ourselves.

Whether it be trendy clothes to make you look better, or a nice car to make you look financially wealthy, you are always searching for something to make you be perceived as “better.” What we have to realize is that even though material items might make us feel happy temporarily, it is a very short fix.

I am sure many of you have heard the phrase “less is more,” and in the grand scheme of life, it is true. Material items mean next to nothing, and the sooner you realize this, the happier you’ll be.

I want you to think about many years from now when you’re old and aged, and death is staring into your eyes. What are you going to be grateful for? I can almost guarantee you that the things you have owned won’t even cross your mind for a second.

The things you will look back and smile on are the people you loved, the memories you made and the happiness you shared, and here is why: Material items can’t wrap their arms around you and hold you tight during the most testing days of your life.

They can’t use their words to assure you that every trivial problem in your life is irrelevant, and that you will be fine even when you are sure that you won’t be.

Material items can’t calm you when your nerves are so shot that your hands can’t stop shaking. They can’t make you smile, or laugh with you until your stomach hurts.

They can’t learn about the inner workings of your soul, and you most definitely can’t learn anything from them. The only time you learn from material items is when they become absent.

This is when you learn that everything you need is exactly what you already have, and you can find it within yourself and within your relationships.

Rather than trying to achieve happiness through buying objects, exert all of your energy into the people in your life. Put kindness in everything that you do.

Spend time in nature rather than plugged into technology. Humble yourself by being grateful for everything you already have.

When you begin to focus on what truly matters, this void that you previously tried to fill with meaningless material items will diminish. Of course treating yourself every once in a while is only natural, but for the most part, you should learn to be happy with what you have.

Less is more.

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