Material Possessions vs. Life Experiences: which one makes us truly happy?
The society we live in today only teaches us how to pursue materialistic possessions. Isn’t it? Most of us will agree with that for sure! But have you ever thought of asking yourself:
- Why am I still unhappy despite acquiring whatever I wanted for the last 6 months or a year? Well, I did…
I asked myself whether materialistic possessions made me Truly Happy or trapped me in never-ending desires? Finding a straightforward answer to that question was tricky, but I finally figured it out.
“I realized it didn’t bring True Happiness in the long run.”
We all know deep down that your answer could be the same as mine. Don’t get me wrong! Being able to own materialistic things is fantastic. It definitely adds Value and comfort to our living standards. It’s a kind of instant gratification. Once we meet our material needs, we all get bored and start another endless search for something new to excite us. Instead, what will bring long-term satisfaction are the exotic experiences that make us flourish.
I am not against possessing worldly things. Rather, my point is to use them as a tool for betterment without being contingent. You must ask yourself some simple questions:
- Do I own Materialistic things for my betterment?
- Or they own me because I think…possessing them will make me Happy.
The key here is How you perceive things!
- You’re on the right track if you believe the Wordly things are there only to facilitate
- But if you realize your life’s sole purpose is to achieve them. Because you think that will make you happy. Then I can assure you one thing. Your reasons to live will become the root cause of unhappiness. Because there’s no end to it!
So, What's My Story?
I wasn’t different from most people. I used to be blinded by the glitters and glamour of materialistic things like everyone else. Perhaps, I became tired of chasing product after product, and my desires never seemed to end. Nothing made me Happy!
Therefore, I started focusing on gaining different life experiences. And that made me realize good times are far more precious than material things I own.
I know a lot of people will debate saying:
- You must have gotten bored or lost Value because you can afford to buy stuff. It may not be the same for others. I agree!
- Or what about the poor? You can’t decide for them! Etc.
That’s exactly my point:
- I stopped pursuing materialistic things a long time back. Because I realized buying a new phone or a car every year would not make me happier.
- I am not here to decide for others; I am here to offer a different perspective. So that readers can decide for themselves.
Honestly, I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth. My family went through a lot of struggles during my childhood. And I have seen my share of challenges while growing up too!
My journey from a struggling middle-class child to a financially stable man taught me one important lesson. And that is, there are many things money can buy…but not everything is on Sale.
In a quest for meaning and a need for lightness, I became interested in minimalism and alternative lifestyles. I’ll give more real-life examples to explain why I perceive things that way.
By the end of this article,
- You will better understand how Materialism controls our lives and society. So that you don’t fall prey to it!
- You will also have leads and motivation to live valuable experiences.
- And finally, I will give you 15 tips to teach you “how to detach yourself from materialistic things and live a much fuller life.”
Reasons Why we are Materialistic?
1. Modern life
First, you have to put things in context.
- Today we live at a frantic pace to produce and consume more.
- Earth’s resources are deteriorating, and the population is overgrowing.
- The gaps between the rich and the poor are widening.
- Materialism is omnipresent and is only considered the scale of success by society.
Historically, humans have not always lived this way, but the question is, were they Happy? Ask yourself…
- Don’t you think your grandfather had a more fulfilled life compared to your father?
- And your father has/had a more satisfactory life than yours?
I am pretty sure the answer is Yes!
Simply because primitive men did not have the same active and progressive will as modern men. Because the concept of owning properties and exploiting resources for commercial purposes did not exist in the same manner as in the so-called modern civilized society.
2. The concept of ownership
I once reflected after reading the book The Man in a Cage by Yvon Yva. I then questioned our way of life and figured out that the concept of ownership has revolutionized the modern lifestyle.
Surprisingly, the fact of possessing is a notion that is specific to modern men and to civilization. In fact, increasing our material wealth signifies social success.
That is why humans are more firmly attached to objects than their forefathers. The question is, why do men want to own more? Perhaps being an owner is a way of controlling our innermost insecurities. What do you think?
3. Man is an emotional being
Therefore, I do not question the notion of private property because I believe it is part of our condition. However, it is important to differentiate between quality and quantity and between the essential and the superficial. Moreover, if we are only focused on visual materials, we must remember that our desires have no end. The material does not make you happy. Indeed, we are complex and emotional beings.
So how can something hollow fill us up and make us happy? The paradox is that we have gradually drifted towards a very present materialism. Comfort and security are somewhat positive in our development. On the other hand, the material surplus does not help us to flourish. What makes us happy are the experiences we have.
Reasons Why experiences are worth more than materialistic things?
1. Experiences change our surroundings
Materialism does not make you happy; the experiences do. However, when I look at the overall lifestyle in big cities, it favors the materialistic life far more than the experiences. In addition, everything pushes us to consume more. Advertising, media, and social networks make us want more material goods. So, we buy some. After traveling to a little over 25 countries (but not enough for my taste :p), I realized that new experiences were a real source of Happiness. Discovering new things is a limitless way to thrive and be happy. Because there will always be more things to discover and to experience. It is a process which is gradual and which helps us to grow.
Materialism has an end in itself. Only, in our everyday life, we are not encouraged to accumulate experiences and to discover. We are encouraged to accumulate materialistic things. So, it requires a certain awareness to understand that the material does not make you happy.
2. Experiences promote emotional well-being
One of the best ways to experience new things is by stepping out of our comfort zone. Perhaps, Getting out of your comfort zone is a perfect example of the message I’m trying to convey here. Indeed, stepping out of your comfort zone means taking risks and setting yourself up to discover new things. The experiences help you grow mature, and this process makes you happy. So, with all these calls to action in our daily lives, we have to make choices. For example, how to use resources such as time, money, and energy. Would you like more gear or more experience? Experiences give us emotions, and that’s what makes us happy.
3. Experiences open our mind
Materialism does not make you happy because it is limited. In addition, the attachment that one carries to the material decreases (except in particular cases) over time.
On the other hand, the experiences stay with us for life and leave us with good memories. Obviously, we are talking about positive experiences here. Having experienced the journey helped me understand how people live differently, and it literally opened my mind.
Seeing that people live better with less is sobering. So today, the materialistic life does not interest me that much. I have to have a real need for it to interest me.
That’s why I no longer buy clothes if I don’t need them. When we realize that the material does not make us happy, our view of the world changes dramatically. The best things in life are not materialistic things. Happiness lies within the simple things, like having a good time with people you like.
4. Experiences teach us how to use materialistic things in a better way
Materialism does not make you happy, but it is possible to utilize materialistic things to better serve our future experiences. Indeed, a material good often gives us a use. Goods have a function, and this can enable us to have experiences. For example, a sports car in a garage may not be exciting to the rich. Because he/she may have more cars or can afford to buy more without breaking a sweat.
However, what excites the owner is the experience, the adrenaline rush it can provide at top speed. The material is then at the service of the experiments.
Therefore, the material is not necessarily bad, just like the money. What really matters is the relationship we have with it. Personally, I wish to have money in my life, but I know what my motivations are. I aspire to have more freedom and not more alienation. Therefore, if the material or the money can be a means to serve a meaningful end, I am the taker.
For each material good that we have, we can ask ourselves the following question:
- Why do I own this good?
- What does it bring me? In terms of usefulness and sensations?
How do you experience more?
Once you understand that materialistic things don’t make you happy and that the best things are immaterial, you want to experience more. However, our resources are limited. We only have 24 hours a day and a finite amount of money. In addition, our energy is also limited. Then how do we use these resources to experience more?
15 Tips for having more experiences
I’ll give you 15 practical tips that will help you have more rich experiences in life:
- Analyze your lifestyle
- Simplify your environment and get rid of unnecessary things
- Learn to Value your time
- Try new things and step out of your comfort zone
- List all the experiences you would like to have
- Set goals
- Challenge yourself
- Make decisions
- Don’t be afraid to take risks
- Travel and discover new places
- See every situation as an opportunity to grow
- Don’t let your ego ruin your experiences
- Show gratitude for lived experiences
- See the material as a means, not an end
- Live for yourself, not for others, and not for the society
In Short: Materialistic things do not make you happy, but we need them
Finally, I want to clarify that I am not anti-material. There’s no denying that we need worldly things, but the unnecessary possession of goods will never be beneficial. Unless you choose to live non-materialistic life and give up possession and properties. Materialism does not make you happy, but it is appropriate for everyone to adopt an enlightened and lucid look at the relationship that they weave with. The important thing is not to be a slave to it and not to be alienated or dazzled by the material.
Live experiences!
Anyway, living experiences are, from my point of view, much more rewarding. Everything we experience turns into a memory. In addition, we acquire new knowledge and skills through lived experiences. This allows us to build and move forward. Emotionally, an enjoyable experience is highly valued. So, live experiences and do not regret your choices!
Hopefully you enjoyed reading this article and that it will help you on your journey. Don’t forget to share your experiences in the Comment section. J
May the Force be with you!!
Goodbye. 😉
Kazi [ Former Materialistic ]