Do materials make us happy ? Or is this just instant gratification ?
Happiness and people's well being is so pivotal and important in this day and age with so many of us struggling and dealing with episodes of depression and anxiety or other mental health disorders. In my opinion a lot of this depends on how much and how many materials we use on a day to day basis and whether this really buys us happiness ? Take for example a new car you have bought up and saved for, it might have an immediate effect to make you feel happy and good about yourself, but does this pro long happiness ? Or is it simply instant gratification and we feel good about purchasing something, and just a short burst of happiness ?
Obviously this may not be everyones first choice of car, given the expense..............lol ( just wanted to lighten it up a bit), but you know what I mean... whether it be a new watch a new car, a new tooth brush ( another joke lol), or a new computer, anything materialistic, is this really making us happy or is it just temporary ?
If these are only temporary investments and things that may give us happiness and joy for a short period of time, maybe it is worth looking at some proven mental health combat strategies and investing in these instead. Take Yoga for example, I have been doing bikram yoga on and off for a number of years now to help me with my anxiety, and I have noticed a tremendous difference if I keep persistent with it. It really helps sooth my muscles and allows me to think a lot more clearly about things in life.
Bikram is easy to get into as there are plenty of centres around Australia and the world and is something definitely worth while if you are wanting to help your mental health. The great thing about this and especially Yoga ( Yoga is free) but Bikram isn't...HOWEVER IT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN KEEP ON GOING TO AND CONTINUE TO WORK AT AND CONTINUE TO COMBAT MENTAL HEALTH AND ACHIEVE AN ELEMENT OF HAPPINESS
Whereas materials for example we are caught up in greed and a world of need and instant gratification that might provide happiness and joy for a short space of time. I'm not sure if this post has made much sense to some and has flowed that well, but it's been something on my mind that I've been meaning to share for a while and I think it's important to always take a step back and really focus on what makes us happy. For me it's comedy, friends, work, keeping busy and focusing on the simple things in life as well as helping other people!
Please feel free to comment below if you are in need of any help with depression, anxiety or other mental illness or just general life troubles! I would be more than happy to help
Kindest Regards, Henry :)
Keep on Steeming everyone
I am with you on this. Eric Fromm wrote about this in Sane Society. I think it was in the 50's. The man was way ahead of his time. I've recently returned to full time work in order to pay the bills with a plan of moving to a tiny house on a hill and leaving it all behind for a simpler life with way less stuff.
I am quite shocked at what the 9-5 Monday to Friday grind is doing to me physically and mentally. It is an exhausting treadmill and I LIKE my job. Everyday I wonder what the hell we are doing working like this and living these closed up lives in order to participate in the system of stuff. I can't see how it could support mental health in anyway at all.
hey thanks so much for reading I really appreciate it, I also want to say thanks so much for stopping by and leaving such a great comment. I think what you have said is a great statement and something that is definitely coinciding with my life as well as the lives of others, I think we often get to caught up in materials and what these do for us, and we focus less on what is important to us and our well being. I know we don't live in a perfect world, so obviously we need some things as well as a job etc but I guess we could limit the usage of materials on a day to day basis and focus on simpler things in life
Henry
I think we are up against it. All the shiny pretty things set up so we will want to buy them. I read an article about two women who decided to spend nothing for a year. They budgeted for food and basic bills but other than that nothing. I am seriously thinking about trying it and already my brain is trying to worm out of it thinking of all the things I won't be able to buy. That would be such an interesting experiment. They both said it was hard but they both said they were so much better for it in the end. I think it was in Australia's Breathe magazine.
Sounds like a plan! Would love to do something like that, I have a friend of mine who is about to go on a meditation place where all he can do is observe and meditate with his body for a week, 10 hours a day and he is not allowed to talk to anyone whilst doing it. I think it would be one of the hardest things to do but also may seem like a very rewarding thing to do.
I have a friend who is thinking about doing that all so. I tried a silent retreat for 2 days and nearly went mad. I don't think I could do it. Mad respect for anyone who can though.
@therealwolf 's created platform smartsteem scammed my post this morning (mothersday) that was supposed to be for an Abused Childrens Charity. Dude literally stole from abused children that don't have mothers ... on mothersday.
https://steemit.com/steemit/@prometheusrisen/beware-of-smartsteem-scam
You can't take it with you; but money buys a lot of experiences, and gives you scope to change the world.
Your'e not wrong there Matt, I may have sounded a bit too ignorant about that factor on this post.......Money certainly isn't everything, but your'e better off with it than without any of it!
Great point
Henry