Let me begin this blog post off by saying everyone is different and everyone appreciates different things in life. It is your life; you decide what ranks of importance in your world. Some people may enjoy the luxury of high priced merchandise and expensive living, some people may enjoy a laid back and relaxed lifestyle with family and friends. It is also possible to have both.
How do you know where you stand? Are you materialistic or experiential?
I am an extreme experientialist. I will always choose experience over tangible purchases; I will always spend more on adventure than I will on my wardrobe.
To figure out who you are, answer these questions:
- When it is time to shop for a new wardrobe, do you shop for:
a. Name brand products (TNA, Canada Goose, Roots)
b. Quality over style
c. Cheap outlets (Ardenes, Urban Planet, etc.) - If you had a million dollars, would you:
a. Go on a shopping spree
b. Buy a family van
c. Go on a trip of a lifetime - Where would you be most likely to shop?
a. Guess
b. Ardenes
c. A thrift store - When you are envious of someone, what is it that often draws this envy?
a. Their fashion sense
b. Their loving family and friends
c. Their life experience - You have lost your favorite pair of shoes, you need to go out and buy:
a. The exact same pair for any price
b. Same quality pair, but on sale
c. Knock off brand shoes
Of course this is a very basic example of how to figure out where you stand in a chaotic world of materialism and experiential opportunities. Needless to say, the final answer should jump off the page at you now.
The Best Options between Things or Experiences?
If there was anything I would let you know as a traveler, it is that saving money in order to take a trip isn’t about buying cheap, it is about buying quality over quantity. I am a huge culprit when it comes to clothes and shoes, I will always buy cheap and buy it over and over again. You think I would have learned my lesson by now. If I had of spent my money on one good quality pair of shoes from the beginning, not worrying about brand name, than I would have still had those shoes and saved more money in the long run. When it comes down to packing for trips, I also don’t have any good quality items that I can just pack ONE of, so I end up packing more shoes than I really need.
Why I Choose Experiences?
There are of course personal reasons, like the adrenaline rush or excitement I get over a trip or a sky dive, but there are also tons of statistics on why choosing experiences over material items is better for you.
Choosing experiences will likely eliminate stress. The more material items you purchase, the more clutter and the more space it has to take up. Some people get in an unhealthy cycle of purchasing too much, leading them to purchase a bigger room, a bigger house, a bigger lifestyle. This is also one way that many people get themselves into debt. Being able to de-clutter your life will eliminate the stress of constantly having to make room, clean these items and will give you much more time to spend with family and friends.
Researchers have also said that when you have this much more free time to spend with friends and family, it will increase your social value and build relationships. You may not have all the material items in the world anymore, but you will have much more time to appreciate life and the world around you.
What are Experiences?
I am not just talking about travel here, there are many other ways to be an experientialist and move away from your materialistic world. Go on more dates, go on hikes, enjoy the nature, take dance lessons, listen to your favorite performer live, and see a good movie. Experiences are moments and memories built when you spend time learning and living rather than buying and consuming materialism. Experiences will still cost money, but they will build everlasting memories rather than collect dust on a shelf.
GO OUT & EXPLORE THE WORLD, LIVE IN THE MOMENT,
BREATHE THE FREEDOM IN AND EMBRACE YOUR LIFE!
