We all need a roof over our head, enough nutritious food and something to wear. We do not need 30 pairs of shoes – we can only wear one pair at a time. We do not need a mansion with all the latest appliances. We do not need filet mignon for dinner (and I would argue that you, and the environment too,would be much better off with some beans) or other expensive delicacies.
Once we reach a point where we have what is sufficient getting more stuff will just begin to weigh us down. Those who have an abundance of material possessions may be rich in things but their lives are often lacking in joy because of the cost to get and maintain those items. Any system, as it gets more and more complicated, becomes exponentially more difficult to maintain. When a significant amount of time and money goes into acquiring and looking after more and more things there is a huge cost in lost opportunity. There is no time left for what really matters – activities that engage our senses, like playing music, writing, painting, playing ball or flying a kite with our kids and gardening and even hanging out the wash make us feel good.
I have been going through the process of sorting through my “too much” and still have more to plow through. The more I look at all I have gathered over the past 12 years, the more I want to be rid of it. I really can see how it has weighed me down. I have to decide which items really are essential to my happiness and have the courage to get rid of the rest. Rather than focusing on their value, I need to look at the cost to keep them.
Having enough makes us happy, having too much leads to misery. Less really is more.