Less is More

Before I left for Greece, I had to get rid of a lot of things. My parents were kind enough to store a few items, but for the most part I was selling and giving away most of what I owned. I worked on it over the course of a few months so I wouldn’t be too overwhelmed.

During this process, there was a change in my buying patterns. I was more aware of what I bought, and I asked myself if I would put what I wanted to buy in one of my two suitcases for Greece. If the answer was no, I wouldn’t buy it.

Previously, being in a place where I was surrounded by people buying things online and shipping them to work, I started to fall into the habit as well. It’s fun to receive packages, I had extra disposable income for the first time, and I started to understand the meaning of retail therapy.

I had another major change being in Greece. When I first arrived I still had the urge to buy things. I felt like my wardrobe was too American so I wanted more island style clothes, and I wanted to buy this or that little thing just for fun.

About 2 months into living there though, I had a feeling of complete contentment. I had no urge to buy anything, and it felt weird and amazing and liberating. I hadn’t felt that in so long, and it was incredible not to want to buy things just because.

When I returned to the US, it was crazy how quickly I fell into the feeling of needing to buy things again. In the US there is so much marketing and advertising, and it seems like it’s made to make you feel inadequate or incomplete if you don’t buy a product.

On top of the advertising, the pure abundance of things to buy was overwhelming. I’m not going to lie, I did miss the convenience of Amazon Prime and Target, but walking through the huge stores in the US is overwhelming, and I did feel more impulse to buy things I didn’t need.

I’m still trying to live a more minimalistic lifestyle, and not having a “home” right now makes it easier since I don’t have anywhere to store things I buy. I do hope, though, that as I settle down that I will remember to buy only the things I really need and will use, and to feel that contentment once again.