Well, simple living – this was not always my motto. Many times I have been swept up in this mindset of getting more and more. Owning more and more. My worst enemy was Amazon online. All these pretty things floating around and everything is just one click away from being send to my house. Awesomeness. So I had this itch for a long time to buy even more.
Looking back at the way I grew up I must say it was very simple. As kids we did not have a TV in each of our rooms – there was ONE in the living room; we did not even have a microwave. My mom grew and still grows most of their vegetables in the backyard or in their second garden. There was no dryer for clothing. Line-dried clothing it is! My childhood was perfect I have to say but as soon as I started earning my first money things changed. I started to want more. I remember I bought a cellphone with my first paycheck. (Nokia 3210 in 1999) 😀
Now things changed again. Life consistently changes. Nothing stays the same. As a mom I feel one of my biggest responsibilities is to raise my son to be tolerant, compassionate and kind. And of course to teach him to love himself the way he is. I had a long talk with my mom tonight and I told her that she did right. It was the best thing to grow up on special moments and activities (and yes, we were allowed to play in the mud and come home all dirty) rather than material things. I remember we did have toys obviously but not too many. We still used our imagination to play which was awesome. On a little side-note: I read recently that there was a study done in a kindergarten where they have taken out all toys for one month. Initially the kids were all weird and did not know what to do. But soon, they started to look for other things to play with. And most of them had gone outside to find rocks, stones etc. to play and just used their imagination again.
Back then I never really knew the difference or what my mom tried to teach us then but I am looking back and I am very grateful. All this being said does not mean that I am getting rid of all my things now but I think it is all about finding a balance. I am just grateful or thankful on what I already have. Activities and memories over things – considering what I already have and just add items I find useful or necessary.
Also, being grateful is basically the ability to be thankful. I mean just the simple fact that I can type this here, that I have internet is pretty awesome by itself. Being grateful can be really hard when happiness is based on the stuff I have, or needs approval of friends, society or family. Or the status I achieve. Then most of the time I thought that I am not where I should be in life – that I need more things in order to be happy. Or the worst feeling I have had was that other people doing so much better than I am. Who the hell cares what others are doing!
I mean living in a society that is basically founded on consumerism and capitalism it is no surprise that there is a structure in place that makes sure that we never ever stop shopping.  Gadgets for everything! 😀
The problem is that there is always more to buy. For anything – home decor (magazines), fashion, you name it. I am just trying to be content with what I have because I realized that this rollercoaster I was trapped in is constantly moving. To get more, better, higher, faster, better looking! I just stopped buying this lie that “things” will make me happier. Plain and simple. True happiness is never about stuff. I am thinking here about spending time with my husband and son in the garden and I am grateful for that. Just them and I, there together. Doing nothing special. Just chilling in the sun. Then I feel connected and I am happy.
