Don't you just love the excitement you feel after coming home with a new TV? Driving home in a new car? Opening the box on a new pair of shoes?
I sure do. But, from watching the behavior of myself and my friends I've found that the new quickly becomes just another item. The excitement of novelty passes quickly.
As we become wealthier, people seem to be adding more and more things to our homes. We then use our homes, and our treasures, to justify that we have won the game of life. Growing up in a family of pack-rats, I spent many years in my teens and early twenties accumulating stuff. During this time, much of my self-worth was unconsciously associated with the amount of stuff I owned; the brand names, and the latest trends. I spent a lot of money on clothes and stuff that made me feel 'superior'. They gave me a sense of identity. If I just removed these things without awareness, my ego would have suffered. I had grown so attached to that definition of myself, that my loss would have been much deeper than just the cute sweater.
Not only did I not find myself in all this, I've also accumulated a lot of clutter in my living space and my inner space. Ironically, the piles of stuff actually held me back from understanding and inner peace with myself.
We are so eager to fill our homes, yet so disinterested in cleaning it out. As a result, we now require larger spaces, more storage space, and more clutter for the mind. Did you know that there are more self-storage facilities in North America than there are McDonald's restaurants? We find it difficult to reduce the amount of stuff we own is due to our attachment to these things.
Is Less Really More?
The joy and art of having less while enjoying more of life can be summed up, as follows:
The Zen of Space - There is beauty in space, but we fail to recognize it because we can't see through the stuff we own. When we open up physical space in our environment, a tremendous feeling of peace can dwell within us. This is the principle behind Japanese style homes. Beauty in small spaces is the appreciation of minimalism, where less truly is more. We need to understand that space is to be enjoyed, not filled.
Conserved Energy - Fewer belongings means we have fewer possessions to worry
Free Your Space - When we are reminded of something we own but never use, we can impose self-inflicted guilt for leaving it unused. For example, my mother owns a several exercise machines which are rarely used. Each time she sees them, she forces herself to feel guilty. Her guilt eats away at her inner, mental space. Our outer world is a reflection of our inner world. By cleaning out and simplifying our outer space, our inner space will open up like a flower.
Appreciation - The less we have, the more attention we can give those things we own and truly need on a regular basis. Appreciation is the seed for abundance; abundance of the mind and the soul. It's pretty amazing how little we actually need. When we clear our homes and our lives down to the essentials, we are able to better enjoy that which we do have.
Nothing external to us can give us permanent and true happiness. We actually have all we need to be truly happy within us.
The art of having less but enjoying our lives more, involves a few simple changes in perspective. First, we must understand where our true values lie and focus on them. Then, we must take time to enjoy the simple things, and slow down and see what's right in front of us.
相关单词：justify
justify解释：vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护
justify例句：
He tried to justify his absence with lame excuses.他想用站不住脚的借口为自己的缺席辩解。
Can you justify your rude behavior to me?你能向我证明你的粗野行为是有道理的吗？
相关单词：awareness
awareness解释：n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智
awareness例句：
There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。
相关单词：ego
ego解释：n.自我，自己，自尊
ego例句：
He is absolute ego in all thing.在所有的事情上他都绝对自我。
She has been on an ego trip since she sang on television.她上电视台唱过歌之后就一直自吹自擂。
相关单词：clutter
clutter解释：n.零乱，杂乱；vt.弄乱，把…弄得杂乱
clutter例句：
The garage is in such a clutter that we can't find anything.车库如此凌乱，我们什么也找不到。
We'll have to clear up all this clutter.我们得把这一切凌乱的东西整理清楚。
相关单词：disinterested
disinterested解释：adj.不关心的，不感兴趣的
disinterested例句：
He is impartial and disinterested.他公正无私。
He's always on the make,I have never known him do a disinterested action.他这个人一贯都是唯利是图，我从来不知道他有什么无私的行动。
相关单词：attachment
attachment解释：n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附
attachment例句：
She has a great attachment to her sister.她十分依恋她的姐姐。
She's on attachment to the Ministry of Defense.她现在隶属于国防部。
相关单词：appreciation
appreciation解释：n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨
appreciation例句：
I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to you all.我想对你们所有人表达我的感激和谢意。
I'll be sending them a donation in appreciation of their help.我将送给他们一笔捐款以感谢他们的帮助。
相关单词：conserved
conserved解释：v.保护，保藏，保存( conserve的过去式和过去分词 )
conserved例句：
He conserved his energy for the game. 他为比赛而养精蓄锐。 来自《简明英汉词典》
Under these conditions, the total mechanical energy remains constant, or is conserved. 在这种条件下，总机械能保持不变或机械能保存。 来自辞典例句
相关单词：belongings
belongings解释：n.私人物品，私人财物
belongings例句：
I put a few personal belongings in a bag.我把几件私人物品装进包中。
Your personal belongings are not dutiable.个人物品不用纳税。
相关单词：devoted
devoted解释：adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的
devoted例句：
He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
相关单词：trophies
trophies解释：n.（为竞赛获胜者颁发的）奖品( trophy的名词复数 )；奖杯；（尤指狩猎或战争中获得的）纪念品；（用于比赛或赛跑名称）奖
trophies例句：
His football trophies were prominently displayed in the kitchen. 他的足球奖杯陈列在厨房里显眼的位置。 来自《简明英汉词典》
The hunter kept the lion's skin and head as trophies. 这猎人保存狮子的皮和头作为纪念品。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
相关单词：guilt
guilt解释：n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责
guilt例句：
She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。
Don't lay a guilt trip on your child
