BUYING THINGS TO FILL A VOID? 4 WAYS TO LOVE LIFE INSTEAD

Do you find yourself collecting material items on the regular? Ask yourself what you’re really missing, and replace it with more meaningful experiences.


BY: EMILY WEEKS, RDN, LD

It’s a familiar drill: you clearn out your closet and come up with almost four giant trash bags full of clothes, shoes, and accessories. Some of it is old stuff that dates back to high school, and you wonder why you even still had it.  You also notice clothes or shoes that you had bought but never really wore.

Now that you’ve cleared your closet, it feels good. But then you realize just how much stuff you’ve collected over time, and it makes you wonder why you had so much stuff in the first place.

Was there a void you were trying to fill?

We’re all in love with stuff – with shopping, acquiring, owning and collecting. What happens when this obsession with stuff becomes unhealthy? When we have voids in our lives, we tend to buy things. When we have problems, we buy things. This obsession can lead to owning a lot of tangible material items that can add more clutter. But no matter how much we buy, it doesn’t give meaning to our lives.

So why not replace that lust for stuff, with a lust for life?  Here are a few ways to help you love life without the need for buying or collecting more material things.

1. FUEL YOUR PASSIONS.

Get outside. Feel nature. When you’re feeling depressed or anxious, instead of logging onto Amazon and buying three cookbooks, appreciate the beauty of the world around you. Go for a walk, a bike ride, plant some flowers, or cook an enjoyable meal for your family.

2. GIVE YOURSELF EXPERIENCES.

If you really want to buy something, consider “experiences” instead of physical items. You likely have everything you need – a phone, computer, plenty of clothes and shoes. Find new experiences to explore your city, like a biking by the beach or a food and walking tour around the city. Grab a few friends, and spend a few hours experiencing all that life has to offer. Now, isn’t that better than a new sweater?

3. CALL A FRIEND.

When you’re feeling lonely or overwhelmed, nothing helps more than reaching out to a friend you haven’t talked to in a long time. Reconnect, vent, and soon you’ll be laughing together and forget what you were anxious about.

4. REAL LIFE MATTERS, NOT STUFF.

Objects are just objects. If you lose them, they get stolen or destroyed, it’s not a big deal. They’re just objects, not your life, and your life represents every moment that passes by. What you fill those moments with is what truly matters, not what fills your home.

Let’s lust after life instead.

Adapted from the original article.
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Emily Weeks, RDN, LD is a nationally-recognized nutrition and culinary expert based in Fort Worth, TX. Emily believes the path to a nourished, happy life is to develop a healthy relationship with food, our minds and our bodies. She focuses on helping others achieve a life of balance and harmony through mindfulness and nourished bodies. Read more from Emily at Zen and Spice.