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“The economies of mass consumption that produced a world of abundance for many in the twentieth century face a different challenge in the twenty-first: to focus not on the indefinite accumulation of goods but instead on a better quality of life for all, with minimal environmental harm.” WorldWatch Institute
One hundred years ago, the average American consumed 4 pounds of sugar per year. Today the average amount of sugar consumption is between 150 and 170 pounds per year (USDA). Hence, if you in your health conscious approach to life consume only 5 pounds of sugar each year, that means someone else is taking in 300 pounds to get to these numbers.
Many of us in North America (and now across the world) are socialized into believing that having “more” brings greater happiness. This may be in the form of eating, exercise, sex, cars, homes, electronic gadgets, shoes and so forth. My spouse can measure my mood state by the number of Amazon boxes that arrive at our doorstep. The more online shopping I engage in, the less satisfied with life I am.
Billions of dollars in advertising go into promoting the notion that buying is the prescription for what ails us, and it is a seductive call. But it ultimately does not provide what we are looking for. More people are coming to this realization after having consumed as much as they could and are paying the price either financially or medically. The Great Recession contributed to many of us rethinking how stuff is not providing the outcomes for which we had hoped.
My father always said, “have what you need and need what you have.” I have thought a lot about the time I put into maintaining, upgrading, replacing, and coveting stuff. It has taken too much of my life energy.
However, if one moves away from something, one needs to move towards something else. I am trying to replace something that was not fulfilling with something that is. For example, I secured an urban garden in Boston and now spend my time trying to learn and apply my newfound gardening skills. And I am trying, rather with mixed results, meditation.
I am trying to counter messages telling me what I need or must have with trying to focus on what I do have and appreciate…and mostly it isn’t about material goods. Researchers have demonstrated that those who reflect on what they appreciate or have gratitude towards are much happier than those who focus on how to fill the empty black hole of wanting something more.
Hence, I created a 25-day gratitude challenge for myself and for the purposes of accountability, shared a daily reflection on Facebook. Perhaps I will inspire others to try it. Mostly, I found myself reflecting on people, places, travel, pets, and friends when I consider gratitude. I thought this exercise would be burdensome, but I have genuinely found it to be inspiring. I invite you to consider something similar.
