Escaping Materialism and Learning to Let Go

You may have heard “keeping up with the Joneses”, but where does that phrase originate, and how does “keeping up” appearances affect us as we get older? The phrase originates from a 1913 comic strip by Arthur R. “Pop” Momond called Keeping Up with the Joneses. In the comic, the McGins family struggles to keep up with their neighbors the Joneses, who served as a symbol of status and wealth. In the comic strip “The Joneses” were never seen or depicted, they were only ever talked about. Some could say that the idea of a nuclear family with status was a metaphor for success at the time. 

Throughout life, many people choose to chase wealth and material possessions. They do so for many reasons. Some genuinely like a life of luxury, others try and keep appearances to fit in with the crowd, and others feel they can only show love and care through these possessions. Whatever the reason, people work very hard in order to achieve this level of material success. This does sometimes come at a cost. After looking at the Book The Top 5 Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware and other sources, it is safe to say that there are many people who have regrets at the end of their life which don't revolve around material possessions. Some of those regrets include:

1. Wishing you didn’t work so hard

Many people have the idea that by working hard and providing for their families they are doing the best they can for them. There are plenty of people that wish they had worked less and enjoyed their time with their families way more. At the end of one's life, all of the material things that one could have bought with the money they worked so hard for means little in comparison to the time one could have spent with their family. 

2. Wishing you spent more time with your children

There are parents who wish they could have spent more time with their children. There are also parents who feel they could be more emotionally available to their children. 

3. Wishing you had lived a life true to yourself, and not what others expected of you

Some of the things we yearn for is acceptance. This is why it is easy to portray a certain type of way to people who love. Everyone wants to feel important and everyone wants to be loved. 

There are plenty of regrets that involve wishing you were more present or even less money driven. Materialism is the tendency to consider material possessions as more important than spiritual values.  This can sometimes be especially hard to escape when financial stability is needed. Here are some things you can do to escape materialism and allow yourself to let go. 

1. Understand that money can't buy happiness
There is a difference between happiness and stability. There is a level of stability that you get from having enough money to survive. There is peace in knowing that you don't have to struggle for your next meal. What this means specifically is that happiness does not lie in material things. Real happiness comes from the things that can not be taken away from you. All material things get away in time.

2. Limit television
What you expose yourself to daily, has a big impact on the way you live your life. Do you really like sitting there watching TV all day? What about those commercials? Commercials are made to get us to buy things. The next time you start to see a commercial get up and do something else. You don't have to sit there for those.

3. Skip magazines for books

Magazines serve as a good marketing product. You can gain way more knowledge and entertainment with a good novel! Limit your access to seeing what “The Joneses” have and remember that comparison is the thief of joy.

4. Monitor your urges to spend

Set a budget for yourself and follow through on your budgeting plans. Set a specific amount that you have to buy materialistic things. After that money is spent, limit your shopping habits. 

If you are able to escape materialism, I suggest trying to get rid of the idea of the Joneses. Don't be afraid to live a life that is true to yourself and not one that you feel is expected of you. Your future self will thank you.

— Catherine Rosales