The Practice of Enough: Contentment in Consumer Season
Why having less stuff might be the secret to feeling better
It’s that time of year again. The commercials are telling you to buy, buy, buy. Your email inbox is full of “limited time offers.” Everyone’s decorating, shopping, spending. And somewhere in the middle of it all, you might be asking yourself: Do I really need more stuff?
If you’ve been around for a few decades, you’ve probably noticed something. That new thing you bought last year? It’s sitting in a closet now. The excitement wore off pretty fast. Maybe you’re even thinking about downsizing, looking around at all the things you’ve collected over the years, wondering why you have so much.
You’re not alone in feeling this way. And the research actually backs up what you might already suspect: more stuff doesn’t make us happier.
Why More Stuff Doesn’t Work (The Science)
Scientists have a name for what happens when we buy something new: “hedonic adaptation.” Basically, it means we get excited for a little while, then …