satisfaction & consumerism-an update

Here we are. Last year (unbeknownst to me how applicable this would be), I made it a goal to buy less. Why, you ask? Well, it's pretty simple logic. There's a concept of SANTOSHA in yoga that means satisfaction. It's one I have been playing with my whole life to be honest. The desire to be grateful for what I have, and not live in excess. This is how it manifests for me at least, or how I want it to manifest in my life. 

I definitely thought that living in excess would make me happy. I am absolutely and most definitely a lover of fashion, shoes, jewelry, etc. Call me a girly-girl, shopaholic, whatever. But y'all, I always kept coming back to SANTOSHA. What is driving this desire to just have things and stuff and accumulate? And then, it was getting to a point where I couldn't fit things in my closet. Or if I could, it just looked messy. And it was driving me insane. This truly became my tipping point. 

What happened: a chronological order. 

• I always have had this desire to live in santosha--but honestly never did anything about it. 
• I lived my life in a state of accumulation. I thought this would make me happy. 
• I bought into the thought process of pay less, buy more. The stuff I was buying honestly was just crap at the end of the day. 
  
• 2020 resolution: I will NOT buy anything. (I made it extreme for a reason. I ended up buying only 10-15 articles of clothing for myself. It was a damn proud moment for me.) 
  
• 2020 and COVID: I PURGED. I would open my closets and drawers and things would just make me mad at how stuffed everything was. I got rid of SO. MUCH. STUFF. Happy Nishita came about. 
  
• Present state: I still continue to purge. If I pull out things to wear, put them on, and then realize how uncomfortable things are, they really don't look that great, or I'm not excited to wear it--I get rid of it right then and there. It's gone. There's a ruthlessness about this, but whatever. It helps me NOT hold on to things. 
  

I'm super proud of how far I've come. I'm not saying that I'm perfect. Do I still love to window shop and check for sales at my favorite clothing stores? Absolutely freaking yes. But, you know there's a renewed sense of peace I get when I tell myself that I really don't need whatever it is I'm eyeing. I've become super content with what's in my closet and in my life. I've noticed by eyeballing of what other people own has decreased significantly as well. And, well, my closet and drawers are way more organized. Honestly, there is a happiness that has come from that. I never thought it would, but it did. 

There's still some areas that have been a little harder to un-clutter. I'm still a sucker for good office supplies and kitchen supplies, but let's take it one step at a time, right?!

I hope this post inspires you to not fall into the traps of consumer culture. You are not any less cool because you don't have the latest "trendy" thing. But it is liberating to not feel trapped by consumerism. There is a freedom in buying things because you feel really great about it and it excites you. 

Here are a few things that have helped me along the way:

• UNSUBSCRIBE from all the things. Those emails are meant to trap you in to buy! Just get rid of them from your inbox. I literally just cleared out about 32 subscriptions to stores and retail. 
• The Minimalists. Not saying that's what I'm aiming for, but it is helpful to see the other end of the spectrum that does help put things into perspective. 
  
• Marie Kondo. No, I did not ask if everything sparks joy. Yes, it does help to think of just removing clutter. 
  
• Emily Ley and Simplified. A lifestyle brand that I've been following for a few years now. Emily hosts several declutter challenges throughout the year, that I recommend if you don't know where to start.
• And the biggest thing--honestly? Holding the intention. I've been holding this idea of satisfaction and santosha since 2014. It took 6 years for it to come into fruition. And when it did, everything just really fell into place. My heart and mind is officially in it. 
  

So here's my update for all my internet friends! 

much love my friends
​-n