Craving less.

“There is more joy to be found in owning less than can ever be found in organizing more.” - Joshua Becker

This quote sounds like it is merely an organization tip, but it translates to so many dimensions of life. Our physical and mental lives can become cluttered too because of all that we have access to, materially and non-materially. But before I finish speaking to that end, let me briefly rift on an important sub-topic:

Now, more than any day prior, we have access to things that previous generations did not. Much of this has aided progress and much of it has come at a grave expense. Fast fashion, for example, has made shopping for prom, a job interview or school more affordable. The inhumane cost, however, falls on the worker because of the systemic absence of integrity and ethics in the industry. It has also contributed to consumption culture.

Sites like YouTube and Google have provided people with the means to teach themselves how to do things, like build a shed or cope with social anxiety. People can supplement their income by driving Uber or delivering groceries or walking dogs simply by opening an app. The amount of quick information and opportunitiy at our fingertips is unsurmountable. However, the increase in availability of these things hasn’t wiped out economic, social and health disparities. That topic is still ongoing.

With all that is available, “more” has become so normalized in our culture. We might catch ourselves even craving more- more information, more belongings, more degrees, more friends, more experiences, more social media posts. Consider for a moment what it would be like to crave less. What might it feel like to want to off-load some things in life? 2023 may be a season of shedding, a season of letting go, or a season of cutting down. Culture has scared us into thinking that only those with a “scarcity mindset” do this, and that actually consuming more and buying more and doing more is the answer to reaching your goals. That is absolutely not true.

There will be seasons of striving in your life where you will have to take a risk and go the extra mile to break through. There will also be seasons of pruning. In these moments you get the chance to recenter yourself, reflect and get clarity for actions that are needed next. For some people, the new year is calling them to examine what it is the year should hold, or not hold. The old cliché saying “less is more,” isn’t true in every circumstance, but what if it is right now? That is for you to decide in your own self-reflection.