Are you willing to take the 100 Thing Challenge and 'reduce, refuse, and rejigger' your life? A NYT's article explores whether living more simply will help you to be happier.
One young couple decided to take Dave Bruno's challenge and it lead to a transformation. They jettisoned their cars, live in a smaller apartment, volunteer part of their time, and have more money to spend on select experiences.
“The idea that you need to go bigger to be happy is false,” she says. “I really believe that the acquisition of material goods doesn’t bring about happiness.”
One retail researcher said, “We’re moving from a conspicuous consumption — which is ‘buy without regard’ — to a calculated consumption."
Indeed, "new studies of consumption and happiness show, for instance, that people are happier when they spend money on experiences instead of material objects, when they relish what they plan to buy long before they buy it, and when they stop trying to outdo the Joneses."
It seems there has been an emotional rebirth connected to acquiring things. There is a lot more complexity required now for companies to engage consumers.
The article encourages one to think about our own lifestyles and acquisitions, and what makes us happy.
Now let me see, should I jettison my squash racket or bocce ball set, the fondue or the crepe maker, the Lazy Boy or the rocker?
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