"Jobs come and go, physical beauty fades. Markets rise and fall. Even close relationships can end. But the benefits of philosophy last a lifetime."
~quote from Sustainable Happiness. My question is..where does shopping, as a hobby come into all of this?
Although shopping can be stressful (making choices and having that feeling of guilt)..I'm very happy when i have new things added to my wardrobe. I LOVE new things...and by new i mean..i bought it today. If i bought it 3 weeks ago it's only fairly new, even I'd it still had the price tag on it.
My cousin called me a compulsive shopper because i buy things i don't really need..and it's true. But sometimes i buy something that changes my life or my perception of myself..that could range from a lip gloss to a perfume. And that new perception is everything!!
Seeing yourself in a new way, interacting with the world in a different manner..that's what brings me happiness...even if it requires constant renewal.
In retrospect, material goods have improved my spiritual self and that seems very sustainable to me.
When I think about sustainable happiness it isn't just about sustaining my own happiness. It's about understanding our we are interconnected with other people and the natural environment. Do our clothes contribute to the wellbeing of other people or harm them (if the clothes were made in a sweat shop?). Shopping can be fun for sure and there a lots of ways to shop where we truly are contributing to sustainable happiness. sustainalbehappiness.ca
ReplyDeleteI have dispelled this belief because I've realized that shopping for me is a distraction and more about instant gratification. Thank you for your comment and highlighting the need for me to think beyond myself.
DeleteI will look at the link