Have Less. Do More.

“Often people attempt to live their lives backwards, they try to have more things or more money in order to do more of what they want so that they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are then do what you need to do in order to have what you want.” – Margaret  Young

I grew up knowing that material things were a privilege and that those things really mean nothing in the long run. My parents made sure to let my brother and I know that we were lucky and to give back whenever we could. Like most teenagers though, I lost sight of this in high school and felt myself wanting to compete with others. My parents didn’t give in to this, but I can only imagine what they thought of me during that awkward couple of years. If I could I would punch teenage me in the throat, because having everything doesn’t mean you’re going to be happy and the majority of people who think having the best of everything are tools.
I see kids buy hundreds of dollars of things every day and the first thing that comes to my mind is how one of those purchases could have been a plane ticket instead.  Material things collect dust, memories do not, so take time to experience different people and places. I’ve learned that less is more, and being proud of what you work for is more important than anything else.  So many of us get stuck in the never ending routine of comparing what we have or want to what others around us have and in doing so you’re missing out on the things that really matter.

Get rid of some stuff. Have less. Do more.