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I have a sweet tooth. It is so bad that we cannot keep candy, cookies, and cake in the house. I have no will-power whatsoever - none, zero, zilch (Don't judge me - LOL!)
My favorite sugary snacks are vanilla bean Blue Bell ice cream, homemade apple pie, and Peanutbuter Captain Crunch (What's yours?). I can eat these items and nothing else for days on end. But something strange happens around day two. The seventh or eighth bowl of ice cream, pie, cereal, or all three - quite honestly - doesn't taste like the first. The more I consume, the less satisfied I feel. Not only am I dissatisfied, but I fall into this dangerous cycle of blood sugar highs and lows: I'm groggy, bloated, and irritable, very irritable. Yet, despite how miserable I feel, I crave more.
Believe it or not, we can experience similar cycles and symptoms when it comes to pursuing more money and wealth. There is nothing wrong with this pursuit. I encourage it. The issue arises when we seek these ends without a clear end in mind. If we are not careful, we'll find ourselves groggy, bloated, and irritable, very irritable, because there is no end to the pursuit of more.
As soon as we achieve one financial goal, there is another waiting in the wings. After we've purchased one vehicle with all the bells and whistles, another one comes rolling onto the lot six months later with bells and whistles we never knew we needed. Our dream home no longer feels dreamy because we just saw another listing with a kitchen, outside patio, and firepit to die for. The vacation spot we use to love has lost its zing. Our television is now too small - what's 85 inches when you can cover the whole dang wall??? - LOL!
Instead of getting entangled in the endless cycle of more, have you taken a moment to contemplate what's enough? May you allow your self a moment to consider how less or fewer equal more or better?
Have you ever noticed that you tend to enjoy things more when you experience them less? Think about it. Would you get excited over your birthday if you celebrated it 365 days a year? Probably not. There is something about delayed - no instant - gratification that is so damn satisfying. For instance, have you ever decided not to binge-watch a television series and allow the tension to build a few days or a week before watching the next episode? Did you enjoy the next episode more or less than a binge-watched episode?
The satisfaction that comes with less is not an illusion. We've all experienced it. In most cases, unintentionally. Regardless, we more than likely left that situation feeling full - not empty.
I want you to capture that moment and take it a step further. I want you to proactively prioritize less and enough into your weekly or monthly financial routine. Strategically plan to cut back financially where you can and clearly define what's enough. You might have experienced less and enough due to happenstance in the past. I am asking you to create a space where you choose to allow less and enough to thrive in your financial affairs.
Your mind is probably telling you not to do it. You have been primed all of your life to associate more with more. But, in reality, more is more likely to leave you feeling barren despite all the stuff you've accumulated. What would happen if you conditioned yourself to desire less?
I will go ahead and give you the answer: You'll learn how to appreciate and experience the ever-elusive more!