Spending Habits and the Easy Life
A very significant source of hardship in life is debt. When you spend less than you earn, you eliminate a major source of life struggle. The invention of credit allowed people with modest incomes to make a major purchase, such as a home, and pay it off over time. The new homeowner benefits from the joy of home ownership (the burdens of home maintenance and upkeep are another story) and the creditor makes some income in exchange for the loan; everyone wins.
Until, that is, we extend the buy now/pay later concept first to cars, then TV’s, vacations, and finally to clothing, groceries, and other every day staples. Suddenly, the borrower is overwhelmed, or at least under constant stress to juggle payments, hold two jobs, and appease creditors. Not the recipe for an easy life.
Despite the urging of marketing America to consume more things, the life often portrayed as the “good life” can be a major deterrent to an easy life. Easy access to credit cards, no interest payments for months, and a transparent appeal to the ego to be happy, popular, and smart by buying more stuff all conspire to encourage overspending.
The happiness we feel when we purchase that new car, flat screen TV, or Disney World vacation on credit is short lived indeed. Happiness resulting from need satisfaction is always brief and disappointing. True happiness–the joy of your soul–comes from within. It is available to all of us at any time. You can bring it forth when you glimpse your soul through meditation or self reflection, when you touch
another soul by giving unconditional love, and when you share the wonder of the Universe by living completely in the present moment.
The simple act of living within your means to earn–spending less than you earn–not only brings its own share of ease to your life, but also eliminates external stress and anxiety
which contribute to a life of struggle.
If you’re spending more and enjoying it less, break the cycle. If you juggle your bills every month–paying some while putting off others–yet still go shopping to feel good about yourself, look for joy within by going without.
Your joy in life comes not from what you buy, but from who you are. Build your life on the foundation of being who you are. This, of course, presumes you have taken that inner
journey of self understanding and now know your purpose in life. Without this knowing, your life may be a constant search for external gratification. With the knowing, you will find joy in the easy process of being yourself–the
easy life.
You’ll find more information here on Purpose in Life courses.
There are many helpful resources for credit education and intervention programs. Unfortunately, I cannot make specific recommendations.
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