Daily Dharma 05: Renounce Your Possessions

(Guest post by David from DailyDharma.net)

Day 5: Renounce Your Possessions.

“There are only two kinds of freedom in the world; the freedom of the rich and powerful, and the freedom of the artist and the monk who renounces possessions.” — Anais Nin

Have you every known somebody who seems to have everything most people dream about, yet they are still unsatisfied and unhappy? While marketers spend billions to trick consumers into thinking the latest trinkets will make us happy, the exact opposite is true. That’s because the more we own, the less free we become.

Photo by Mr. Atrocity

Today, Don’t Buy Anything.

Not only can our possessions trap us into a false sense of success or happiness, snapping up things we will soon forget about is wasteful. By going one day without adding to our stockpile of “things”, we remind ourselves how silly it is to place so much value on our possessions.

Start Eliminating Clutter
Clutter is just one symptom of owning property. Our things begin to fill our homes and offices, reducing the space in which we live and creating undue stress and wasted time when we go looking for things.

Instead of buying more, begin to sell or donate things you rarely use. If you make a habit of eliminating just a couple of things each week, you will cut your clutter dramatically in just a few months.

You can give your belongings away to charities at local drop boxes or thrift stores, sell your items on Craigslist or eBay, or have a yard sale.

Think About Your Purchases

The next time you have the urge to buy something that isn’t food or medicine, ask yourself why you want it. Then ask yourself, will I use this in a year? In ten? If I needed to pack all of my belongings into a single van and move across the country tomorrow, would I bring this with me? If the answer to either question is no, don’t buy it!

Don’t Be Trapped by Your Stuff

Even if you aren’t going to move for a very long, long time; your belongings can begin to trap you into thinking that theses physical things define you. The less you own, the less likely you will be to see yourself as a reflection of your possessions.

Dress simply, and you will not worry about whether your clothes are in style. Drive a practical car, and you will not worry that you have last year’s model. Live in a modest home, and you can worry less about future economic uncertainties.

Today’s Challenge

• Do not buy anything that is not food or medicine
• Choose one belonging you no longer use to sell or donate
• Place a business card in your wallet, on top of your credit cards that says “Why do I need this?”