Sunday 20 December 2015

The importance of having less

In light of the festive season, I have thought a lot about the materialistic side of Christmas and how my values of such have changed drastically since last year. I make a decent salary in Bangkok, and I go from month to month with no real worries about money. I am able to save, go out on the weekends and plan awesome holidays. Even though I stick to some sort of budget, its never really a stressful experience in terms of day to day expenses. Just recently I was thinking about how much my spending has changed when comparing 24 year old me living abroad to 22 year old me back home, that was always working (sometimes 3 jobs) but for some reason always running out of money. I figured it out... and this epiphany is something that has actually changed me in the best possible way. I don't waste my money on 'stuff' anymore.

5 Baht butterfly crumpets anyone?

 This 'stuff' included anything from a trendy top to a laptop bag (even though I already had one) to a random ornament or yet another pair of shoes I simply had to have. I would get my pay check at the end of the month and instantly feel the money burning a hole in my pocket. I had this urge to spend it as soon as I could get myself to the closest mall-and I always did. I even wrote a blog post about this problem a while back which I won't link here out of fear of embarrassment.

I still can't quite figure out why I constantly wasted my money, and had nothing to show for it other than a room full of stuff. Stuff that would accumulate over the years, only to break or be given away or thrown away (or re-gifted to someone else sssshhhhhhh). It could be because I was trying to keep up appearances with everyone around me, or to fill up my boredom with the rush of new things, or a subtle addiction? When it came to packing everything I needed to spend an entire year in Thailand, it was the first step to realizing how much I want, but how little I NEED. Light bulb!! Here is the truth: the importance of having less becomes apparent when having less is your only option.

Now lets not get crazy assuming I don't love shopping anymore, or the smell of new clothes or putting on a pair of beautiful shoes I just purchased. I still love all of those things but I don't live for it. I live for my next adventure and buying guidebooks and postcards and maps. I live for nights out with friends, drinking cheap beer with my boyfriend, trips to strange places and trying new things. All I think about when I'm shopping now is, 'will this fit in my 30kg bag?' or 'do I really need it?'. Usually the answer is no which leads me to repeated outfits, a lot of imagination, clothes swaps among friends, and occasional complaints that I have nothing to wear.

Chang beer after a long day

I am at the point in my life where things just weigh me down (literally), make life more difficult and seem just plain unnecessary. My mind is no longer full of lists of things I want to buy, but rather lists of places I want to go. It really is a freeing experience and makes life so much simpler. Everyone is different, and get enjoyment out of various things, but I'm pretty sure the thrill of buying something new wears off a lot faster than climbing a mountain or riding a bicycle through the streets of Tuscany. x




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