In the series of experiences I've had through life, I've come to realize that life is a constant process of desires and self-denial. That's, at the very least, the case for me and it's something that has formed a huge part of my lifestyle. It is also something that has made it easier for me to set my priorities straight at every stage of my life.
Let's start with Desires...
The good old economists and those that subjected themselves to the study of relevant literature made it obvious that human desires grow at every given time. Every one of us has a long list of things we desire to enjoy in life and it's fairly obvious that those desires know no boundaries or limitations.
Take our wealth pursuit for an example. You may be earning $10 per day and thoughts of making $15 will preoccupy you. The moment you start making $15 a day, you will want to raise the bar and aim for $20. Think about every other aspect of human desires. This is exactly how it transitions. Do you see? There is no limit to what we want and it's not obvious that getting what you desire will quench your existential hunt for more.
Now, let's address the elephant in the room: Resources. Whatever you desire to have or enjoy always has a corresponding resource that is needed to grant that desire. Most of the time, Money happens to be that resource. Time also makes it to the list.
Well, think about this;
How much money is enough to grant all your heart desires?
How about time? How long is long enough for you to live so you can get the privilege of enjoying all your heart desires?
These are rhetorical but feel free to knock yourself out in an attempt to find an answer. The point is that our desires/needs/ wants or whatever you call them are limitless. However, we have only a few resources at our disposal.
This is where self-denial comes into the picture.
There is something I voluntarily do and I'm not sure if that's a perfect example, but that's the first thing that came to mind.
At this very moment that I'm typing this, I have a long list of things I would love to do for myself or someone else. Things that will boost my feel-good hormone. Most of them costs money or time, but my reality is that I can't afford to take care of all those things. Nope! That would either cripple my finances or mess up my schedule.
So, what's the way out?
Firstly, I have to weigh the situation I'm in and set my priorities right. I already know the resources I have and it's not enough to take care of my desires. However, something has to be done and it has to be done fast. So, I pick the desires ('Needs', if that makes you feel better) that are most pressing and deny myself of the other desires which I can afford to let go for good or for now.
This is how I've been living my life and this is exactly why I'm letting go of some things which I desire to do at certain stages in life. A few months ago, I had an opportunity to travel for a wedding. This would have been a perfect opportunity to reunite with my distant relatives and spend quality time with everyone.
Guess what?
I had to sit that out and I got oppressed with the series of adorable pictures that were taken on the occasion. Hehe. That's a voluntary self-denial on my part and it wasn't an easy decision to make. Interestingly, it's not very obvious that sitting that out was the best decision for me, however, it's done and I have no regret.
As far as I can tell, the only way to escape the series of self-denial I go through is by growing my assets and improving my finances. If I become financially free, it will be so much easier to give myself the treat I deserve.
Thanks For Not Missing Any Full-stop Or Comma.
Thumbnail Image is taken from Unsplash
Additional Image is taken from Pixabay