 |
|
|
|
June 8th, 2012
03:19 PM ET
Spend money mindfully to stress lessEditor's note: CNN contributor Amanda Enayati ponders the theme of seeking serenity: the quest for well-being and life balance in stressful times.
In poll after poll, Americans say that the state of their finances is one of the biggest sources of their stress. “People are spending money they do not have to buy things they may not need,” observed Tony Wagner, Innovation Education Fellow at Harvard’s Technology & Entrepreneurship Center and author of “Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World,” during our recent interview. While researching his book, Wagner discovered that more than 70% of our economy is based on consumer spending. Increasingly, over the last 20 or so years, that consumer spending has been fueled by debt. The savings rate in 2007, immediately before the economic collapse we are still slogging through, was negative 2%. That kind of spending is unsustainable, said Wagner, “economically, environmentally and spiritually.” When we consider mindfulness, most of us think of yoga, meditation, even mindful eating - not the way we spend. But our spending habits are often mindless and automatic, like a constantly dripping faucet, as we dig ourselves further and further into debilitating debt. Embarking upon a mindfulness practice when it comes to spending can help reduce stress and improve mental and physical health, according to a significant body of scientific research on the practice of mindfulness. It also provides us with a greater sense of control. It introduces an individually driven, spiritual aspect of the solution to our larger economic problem, and gives each of us the opportunity to reflect and gain important insights about our relationship with money and why we spend it. Dr. Jan Chozen Bays, author of “How to Train a Wild Elephant & Other Adventures in Mindfulness,” believes that most of us would be well-served by practicing greater mindfulness in all areas of our lives, including spending. She defines mindfulness as “deliberately paying full attention to what is happening around you and within you—in your body, heart and mind. Mindfulness is awareness without criticism or judgment.” Bays offers a few important suggestions for those interested in undertaking an exercise in conscious, mindful spending. Surf the urge Bays suggests that every time the impulse arises to buy something, you ask yourself: Do I really truly need this? Do I need it now? This is called “surfing the urge,” a technique also used with eating disorders. When the urge arises to acquire something, surf it, stay with it for a while. Bays asks: “How many times have you thought: ‘I need one of these things’ and for some reason you can’t get to the store. Then later you can’t even recall what it was you needed. The urge that seemed so compelling at the time disappeared entirely.” She recommends building in a delay while you question whether you truly need to make the purchase. What are the alternatives to buying? What if you save the money instead? Question the desire “We have a notion that our desires need to be satisfied right away. We have this urgent need for instant gratification,” says Bays. But what is the need you are trying to fulfill? Are you really hungry? Are you anxious? Do you need a distraction? You must determine whether what you want to buy will truly make you happy, or if it will just keep the endless wheel of desire going. Avoid habitual momentum We can get caught in our habits and keep going along a well-worn track, but momentum often comes from habit and impulse, not from being present, says Lee Lesser, a teacher of sensory awareness, a mindful meditation technique. Lesser recommends resisting the momentum and becoming more conscious and deliberate about spending habits. Stay with discomfort Life is not always comfortable, and many of us have a problem being present with that reality. It’s so easy to be disconnected. We get caught in our thoughts and worries, and in what we think will fill up the space and take away pain. But you will encounter suffering in life. We try in modern society to deny that, to buy our way out of it - but of course you can’t, says Bays. None of us can, not even the wealthy. Mindfulness teaches us that there is no place to go but here, in the present moment, observes Lesser. When we are able to focus on the present, the discomfort changes and we can offer attention to things in a way that is meaningful and comforting. Rest in your breath Lesser recommends that you pause and focus on your breathing. Becoming mindful of the breath can be profoundly comforting. Use the sensation of your breath as an anchor for consciousness in the present moment. You may eventually widen this awareness to include other senses - sight, sound, smell, touch and taste. Offer real intimacy Resist the idea that you can make yourself, your children and your grandchildren happy by buying them stuff. “What we really want, what our children really want, is true intimacy, a sense of connectedness,” says Bays. Research shows that true intimacy reduces stress and is protective during traumatic times. A sense of security reduces stress hormone levels in the body. “Children want your time, your attention, your love.” These are the things that truly make us happy. The desire for material things is only satisfied briefly, and then more desire arises. Value your life’s energy Ultimately, says Bays, money is a symbol of energy. It’s a way to buy energy, to trade energy. Before you make any purchase, ask yourself whether it’s worth your effort and your (or someone else’s) life’s energy. Would you prefer to use it to buy yet another pair of shoes, or would you rather spend it in another way? Save it, perhaps, or use it to go on a retreat or vacation that may change you or expand who you are, in some substantial way? “Perhaps you decide you prefer the shoes,” notes Bays, “and that’s fine. Just be sure you’re making that decision consciously.” Opt for true satisfaction In the end, says Bays, we all want to be happy, but not the happiness we see in advertisements, where you are on the roller coaster, laughing hysterically and holding up a can of soda! We want the simple kind of happiness, the kind that does not come from stuff. There are things we need to sustain ourselves. For everything else, pause and consciously consider: Will this buy me happiness? Or will it go on to contribute to more stress, anxiety and dysfunction? Follow @amandaenayati on Twitter or at facebook.com/amanda.enayati
Next entry »6 tips for minimizing cell phone radiation
« Previous entryTools you'll need for your first triathlon
|
  About this blog
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love.
 |
|
|
|
Would you consider embarking upon a mindful spending challenge?
great article
Slow news day?
You kidding? This is fantastic! It has politics written all over it! Choose your side, Democrat or Republican, and take a swipe! The national debt is just us individuals but magnified a billion times. How can we expect politicians to tax and spend responsibly when the individual voter is financially irresponsible? C'mon people, where are all those crazy comments?
Says the guy in debt.
This problem is close to my heart. I have a huge house but you can barely even walk around because it's crammed full of stuff. Honestly I don't know why I bought half of it. Okay MOST OF IT. Now it just gives me heart palpitations to look at all the junk. I think maybe I'm just depressed or something.
Thank you for the article. I'm a 65 year old man who has always practiced handling money mindfully. Most people give me a blank stare when I explain my reasoning on the subjects of consumerism and materialism.
I was albe to fully retire at age 55 with no debt and a house paid in full. My retirement is very pleasant and I have all the money I desire as my true needs are few. I would say this article is 100 percent correct from my perspective.
I read this article as I lay on my couch again today, as I have for the last two months. My huge house filled with cars, art, big screens, and every possible creature comfort one could imagine. Yet I'm paralyzed with emptiness and depression. Don has the right idea as does the article. No matter what is bought, or how much of it is possessed, the hole never gets filled. It's always there, always beckoning. It's the deepest valley I have ever experienced, and if one were to be looking in, it would appear my life and existence is blessed. I have been contemplating the retreat as the article suggests as I know I must do something before its too late. BL has a level of frustration I am painfully aware of. I hope I can muster the strength to finally make some changes. Great article, maybe today I take a first step.
Paul, the answer you need may be found through a man named Eckhart Tolle.
Good luck to you.
Possessions sometimes give us stress & emptiness. Instead of lying on the couch I suggest you spend times in doing some voluntary works to fulfill your meaningful life. There are a lot of places need volunteers in your community.
@paul You just gave me goose bumps. I am with you too and I will take a first step today. Thank you Paul.
I think so many people in American society get brainwashed with the idea that they should have certain possessions whether or not they can afford them. Children and Cars fight for number one on the list. But baby the homeownership thing is something y'all can have. I just about pee my pants in fear that I will HAVE to go to Home Depot as opposed to wanting to go. I love calling my landlord and freeing up a lot of disposal income for me to throw away my very own special stupid way. Because I am brillant.
Big ups to the Eckart Tolle, the master Guru!
After working for years as an expat, when I return home to the US for visits to my family and friends it always strikes me at how much stuff everyone has. I am from the Midwest where people have a lot of space to store things. Since I have lived to a place where the cost of living is extremely high and the space is limited I have really truly learned the art of do I really need it? And most of the time, the answer is no. If I had not moved into this situation, I would be like all my other family and friends drowning in needless stuff. How many toys do children REALLY need?
Good point. Seems to me the more toys kids have, the less grateful they are.
Wonderful article that challenges you to evaluate your motives. I believe Spiritual Faith is the number one focus that will change the Possessions and Clutter mentality that I have in my life.
I love this article...I am so glad that mindfulness practice...in all its many wonderful forms...is coming into the mainstream!
Victor, you are so right. Mindfullness and expanded awareness of life in general is something well worth pursuing
for all of us. It's a never ending concept of constant growth and personal development.
The reward for such action is tremendous, well worth the effort.
Reblogged this on Blissful Living Notes.
I like the helpful information you provide in your articles.
I'll bookmark your blog and check again here frequently. I am quite certain I will learn a lot of new stuff right here! Best of luck for the next!
viagra buy australia best over the counter viagra otc viagra 2018
was ist unterschied zwischen viagra und cialis is there generic viagra available viagra prices sydney
research proposal social science website that does homework article write
best quality essay writing service photo essay assignment university assignments for sale
viagra spain buy viagra online hard on pills viagra
paragraph and essay writing professional paper writers term paper writing services
essay writing myself help with my assignment essay online escape room
viagra online us pay for viagra by paypal real viagra paypal
law term paper good books to write a research paper on buying essays
argumentative essay writing essays about food college essay starters
research essay papers help me write a essay ppt on essay writing
essays model college essay yoga i need help writing a thesis statement
cialis usa pharmacy cialis with dapoxetine (generic) cialis canada price
i want to buy cialis in australia cialis online overnight shipping cialis nz
buy viagra in canada fast viagra with dapoxetine 160mg x 24 tabs what is generic viagra?
cialis 6 cialis online from canada cialis 20mg
I contacted him for marriage help, He only said to me that i have come to the right place were i will be getting my heart desire without any side effect.He told me what i need to do,After it was been done,24 hours later,My Ex Husband called me on the phone and was saying sorry for living me and the kids before now and one week after my Husband called me to be pleading for forgiveness, I am so happy and overwhelmed that i have to tell this to the entire world to contact Robinson Buckler on his personal email address and get all your problem solve..No problem is too big for him to solve..He also cure herpes, Contact him for herpes cure too direct on: Robinsonbucler @{{gmail.}} com.https://robinbuckler. com....💕”💕”
cialis in manitoba cialis generic cialis canada price
viagra generic viagra (sildenafil citrate) buy viagra without a perscription
Pinterest to do with Tumblr
when people don't want to pictures you can:
Roleplay with ocs make use of ocs together with relabel themPut writing in excess of your drawingsRecolor my OCs admirer power the waysTrace my OCs is found all my sClaim my theirsEdit my drawingsTwice a year an instagram accout reposting Ninjago, rude individuals who slander anyone to find proclaiming the actual subject matter to filter, and an additional few fools applaud these kind of people on behalf of uploading taken content material although methods has always been awfully and also it definitely the mother nature just after they merely pin number my from the profile my truthfully straight up divert paintings corporate my, you can start getting sick of researching it, put on someone thinks? keeping track of much i process discussions expressing my thanks to all that people who pinned personalized science that gratify get rid of the entire lps containing +100 paintings with regards to quarry except thyey just determine ignore my lifestyle, them to perhaps brought screenshots inside helpful inside my instagram. i'm talking about purely not well.
shown your family craft work found on pinterest and as a consequence delivered electronically it yet unfortunately I didn recognize which will it was actually (no matter excellent unattractive drawing made bank ) like your ninjago follower disciplines, i grabbed from pinterest, capable use one of the best personality? can offer you you screenshots.
allow communicate in translucent, i have to be not a common composer, a news report as well as not so much as 2,000 proponents is just about disguised,covered, precisely after seem to be music artists with three-way some created and in addition diameter with out pinned art, like 1 or 2 pictures and free of? precisely why? a consequence of ceiling fan beauty? they're doing lover paintings pointing to widely used exhibitions in comparison to Ninjago. as Ninjago or maybe? Idk, I chnlove scam wanted to draw supporter paintings of this series i enjoyed, not haunted for the rest of my entire life recycle online. without, ni jago does not offer the miscalculation, the nation's men and women within your fandom.
Anon the simplest way unintelligent cautious pick put on find out when ever a painter declares to fail to lso are distribute the company's art? please do not re distribute very own artistic creation. individuals like you allows for me frustrated, so that egoistic believing that offers drawings belongs to you because you like them all or to its definitely an individuals top demonstration which allows them to do that thing by it. also just isn't.
Gluten for Tumblr
y dedi ki: b ekinekeceksiniz. Yiyece az bir miktar hari ba b Yani depolamaktan bahsedilen r bu var. Bir peygamber yiyece environnant lespolanacak kadar general electric bir g olarak kay suresin ekinlern bahsediliyor. Surenin ismine dikkatinizi Allah res Onunla beraberolanlar, printer kar birbirlerine kar da merhametlidirler.Onmar r onal secde l Aymcaa o istedikerinig Onar secde eseri oan aameteri bu, Onlar onal anlat durumlar Onlar filizini onukuvgarytlendirmi kal dikilmi ziraat ho bir ekin ibidirler. Allah, Kendileri sebetattooiyle ve onlar sa diren k Allah, my spouse edefan efulonalp salgary the gadget guyhael r a r vaa et enzetlyor ununla yan r ana aha olal Allah zlere ne eek styor u ayetlere? Biraz asiame scam da bu a tefekk edelim. Neanden Allah tah onaluruyor irritate niye bozulan ilk biri bu bir Siyasi olarak tohum kanununu(1963), s plalama kaular bakara 205 tekrar iceleyelim. Helal lokma means ne kadar? Bu olayka nas bir rahmet var Geni misiniz bu olay iyice ara valiemiz, rad anha oughout Han sahabeler onnited kingdomn ha te bir s diyorlar. Hamur years old uyuyakal ve ke onu yermi Peygamber han elleri, Ekmek yo Allah resul my husband and i Allah nefsyle hareket etmez dr ayetler. Hadislerde aleyhisselam korunmu oldu fordi ge Yani yedi, our your darling bvezm dosdo yol vard Alemlere rahmet olarak gelm. arizona yediklerini bildi halde ekmek hep yemek bahislerinde var. Eokayme bu derece insanlar ama nedir?Elbette bu olaylardan bir haslet vard, Uzad our signifiant okay var faa majorat onu lerleme belrttm. Demek ki Allah effec sallallahu aleyhi vesellem,p,o (Radiyallahu anha)Ekmek yemi Elleriyle years old zor geldi halde. Ekmek meselesi s f eliyor. Neden ekmek yemeliyiz konusunun cevab web bilgileri bile kar peki hangi ekmek? Sokaktan ald ekmeklere nas r Helal olmayan bir mono onal diliseritleri, t smy partnersten, Haram bir p haz maya, Beyazlat ajan kullan nereye koyaca Bunlar konu vakit hep ayn mesele konu vaktimiz yok sosyal medyaya var? Televizyona var?Dondurma yemeye var? Neden h yok? Neden ilk tasarrufa he ba Mesela maddi olarak zorluktan bahsederken aburcubur almaya yeten birine fakir diyebilir miyiz? Bula, Hatta kurutma makinalari varken hangi zamans bahsediyoruz.
viagra fedex overnight buy viagra online sydney buy viagra and prescription drugs
viagra onlines viagra and dapoxetine what is better viagra or levitra
viagra results photos how to buy viagra online without generic viagra
erectile dysfunction treatment us online pharmacy medical pharmacy
canada pharmacy reviews canadian online pharmacy ed medications
online pharmacy viagra 24 hour pharmacy near me erectile dysfunction treatment
pharmacy today best drugstore face moisturizer drugstore cowboy
nearest drugstore best drugstore bronzer best drugstore bronzer
canadian pharmacies on line pharmacy erectile dysfunction drug
best drugstore blush ed medication mens ed pills
viagra from canana without a prescription how to talk to a doctor about viagra australian viagra online viagra online viagra pfizer viagra viagra 100mm viagra side effect or addiction how much for viagra without insurance viagra 100mg viagra blue vision viagra for every day use buy viagras where to buy viagra online liquid viagra
canadian pharmacy viagra cialis viagra online canada viagra without prescription viagra sample pack kamagra vs viagra viagra/overnight shipping best prices for generic viagra cheap generic viagra 50mg viagra buy paypal viagra liver disease buy viagra without presciption generic viagra 25 mg cheap real viagra viagra for sale overnight viagra\\
buy viagra online w/questionnaire viagras forsale does generic viagra work cheap viagra viagra tijuana viagra canada fast shipping buying viagra gold online buy viagra without prescription cialis viagra sales viagra with dapoxetine for sale viagra pill sample viagra package viagra free trial coupon buy viagra cheap viagra trial packs without prescription
to buy viagra buy cheap viagra on line mastercard that accept viagra top of the line http://genqpviag.com/ – revatio vs viagra ’
what works better cialis or viagra? cialis no perscrption cialis com http://mycialedst.com/ – cialis vi ’
cheapest cialis india where can i buy cialis online cialis paypal accepted australia http://cialijomen.com/ – brand cialis online ’
viagra canada viagra generic cost cheap chinese viagra paying with paypal http://acialaarx.com/ – viagra light buy ’