Owning or Being Owned?

Posted on May 19, 2017

Hey✌????

So, I was chatting with a friend about this idea about owning a lot of stuff. Unfortunately our society is all about brands and quantity. We associate status with owning certain name brands: from the model car we drive & the size of our houses to the shoes we wear…And it’s certainly easy to fill our time with consuming, purchasing, and buying. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve walked into Target needing toothpaste and toilet paper and walked out with over $100 worth of stuff. This pro-consumerism that’s being subconsciously shoved down our throats, coupled with the fact that when we are out buying things, it feels like we are “doing something”…can make for a dangerous mix.

Of course, I’m guilty of this as well. As a personal trainer – naturally my weakness is workout clothes (athleisure?). At some point or another I get it in my head that I just need another pair of Lululemon leggings. Next thing I know, I find myself at the store swiping my hard earned cash for some new tank tops, a sports bras and 2 pairs of leggings (I told you, it’s my kryptonite). Seriously it’s SO hard for me to go into Lululemon, and NOT buy something. It’s also the scarcity game that companies like to use to boost their bottom-dollar – if they make things in limited stock, the consumer feels like they have to buy it (gasp) “before it’s too late” and there’s no more left!

Lately I’m trying to slowly back away from this consumerism and ask myself: Which is more important, acquiring more possessions or becoming more conscious, connecting with others, and sharing experiences?

What’s better “getting” OR “letting go”…

And let’s be honest, it’s a self-perpetuating cycle. When you own a lot of things you tend to buy more things. Okay so now that we bought a new rug, it’s making our couch look dated…you get the idea. And eventually you may run out of space for all of your things. Now because you’ve upgraded, you have to move your older stuff into storage. The basement, the attic, a closet, or a storage unit. Despite the fact that this older stuff is out of our sight – we still maintain ownership of it. But what if we lose something or it gets stolen?