Buy, Buy, Buy!

Culture tells us that the more things we have, the better and more full our lives will be. And as parents, the more we buy for our children, the easier and better their lives are. What a lie! The truth is, the less you have, the fuller your life will be. If our homes are full of clutter, let's take a look at why we have it in the first place. Most of the time people are trying to fill an unmet need by buying things. Or trying to gain approval from others by the items they have in their home. Or trying to buy their children's love by giving them the things they want. 

So, trust me. Get rid of all the things in your house that you don't use and mean nothing to you. It will simplify your life. It will open your eyes to how much money our culture spends wastes on material things. I'm not saying to go all monkish and get rid of everything you own. But do live in moderation. Next time you're about to buy something that you think you need, analyze it to see if you can live without or ask yourself why you really want to buy it in the first place.

Challenge yourself this holiday season: Don't buy more clutter. Give consumable gifts. Or art lessons. Or a special trip. Your loved ones will remember the relationship they had with you - not the things you gave them.