How To Stop Wanting New Things

There’s nothing inherently wrong with wanting new things.

In fact, I wouldn’t dare vilify it because new things can be a great source of motivation to work hard.

But at the same time, shiny object syndrome often leads to perpetual dissatisfaction, financial issues, and stress.

I’ve been in the rat race for over a decade, and buying new things has stopped filling the void in my heart. At the same time, I experienced all of the problems mentioned above, and it made me deeply depressed.

Believe it or not, it was minimalism that improved my life.

Rather than basing my self-worth on what I could buy, I sought to build worth through my purpose and goals in life. I discovered my love for gardening and playing badminton with my sister. Most importantly, I stopped stressing myself out on a daily basis to chase after the next big thing.

I promise that you will not roll over and die by giving up on wanting new things.

Rather than lose my drive to work, it’s stronger than ever before because I find reward and satisfaction in what I do.

I was so blinded by the pursuit of new things that work became a means to an end, whereas now I enjoy being useful, creative, and productive.

I believe that there are a few reasons why people want more things, and they are as follows:

To fill a void or to practice retail therapy.
To gain status and social acceptance.
To feel successful and progressive.
To motivate themselves.

Not all of these reasons are inherently bad, but without moderation and control, we can spiral into a dark hole of materialism that ruins our lives.

Examine these reasons, and what you’ll find is that wanting new things is often tied to an issue within oneself.

A lack of gratitude, social pressure, low self-esteem, depression, and a lack of purpose can be the main culprits.

Related article: The pros and cons of minimalism

How To Stop Always Wanting More

1. Practice Gratitude

It’s difficult to fixate on always wanting more when you’re busy being grateful and happy about the things you have.

I wish someone had told me about this years ago because it would have saved me from periods of extreme dissatisfaction.

The best way to frequently and consistently feel grateful and appreciative of what you have in life is to practice gratitude.

Just count your blessings.

Every single day, without fail, I count all my blessings while praying to God. I list every single thing that is important to me and thank God for blessing me with it.

Over time, it becomes second nature to tap into gratitude and remember everything you have been blessed with because of this daily practice.

I’ve also noticed that gratitude is a remedy for depression and anxiety. It will make you feel good and clear your mind as well.

Related article: 13 Signs you own too much stuff

2. Limit Social Media

There’s always going to be someone who has more or better things than you.

Exposing yourself to these people on a consistent basis will make you miserable, because most of us can’t help but compare ourselves to others.

It doesn’t help that most people share a glorified glimpse of their lives online.

You’ll always want more if you’re on social media, unless you’re following people and pages that encourage simplicity and minimalism.

If you feel pressured into having luxury items that you cannot afford or chasing after social validation to the point that it makes you feel hopeless and worthless, get rid of social media or limit your exposure to it.

3. Invest In Yourself

Have you thought about retirement?

What if you’re lucky enough to live until you’re 90? Do you have enough money saved up to live comfortably in old age?

Unless you’re a multimillionaire with a good investment portfolio or a maxed-out 401K, you shouldn’t be spending so much money on new things.

We don’t know how long we’ll be on this planet, and it would be a shame if we had amazing new things while we’re young, but then we spent our golden years in poverty.

It’s so painful to see elderly people struggle financially because they didn’t plan for the future or didn’t have the luxury of doing so.

If you’re reading this article, you’re probably blessed enough right now to be chasing material items.

Invest your money wisely because it’s an investment for your future.

As soon as I started dipping my toes into investing, I became hooked, and I think less about wanting more stuff or new things because I have a greater objective.

4. Invest In Your Purpose

How often do you think about what you were meant to do with your time on Earth?

I know it sounds cheesy, but don’t you think that we have been manipulated by the media and marketing schemes to spend our time pursuing consumerism and material items when we could be the creators of something meaningful?

I was thinking about this recently while I sat outdoors for two hours, intentionally trying to slow down and reflect on my life.

For years, I had been consumed with stress and pressure to get a new house, a new car, and everything in between.

But I didn’t understand why, because I have a home and a car that function well!

I realized that it’s okay to want these things, but should I be miserable and frustrated every single day because of it?

I don’t think so.

Meditating on my mortality made me acknowledge that I don’t want my life story to be about a collection of material items.

That isn’t what makes me truly happy.

I want to be an author who entertains readers with fun, interesting, and meaningful stories.

More importantly, I want to be a good son, husband, father, brother, friend, and member of my community.

Knowing that I maximize my potential while living with gratitude for the people in my life will not be something I’ll ever regret!

Once I experienced this change in perspective, I didn’t struggle with always wanting more new things.

Try drawing up a list of 100 things to do, be, or become, and use that as guidance on how to attain self-worth and meaning from life.

I’m willing to bet that it will fill your heart with peace and contentment, much more than any item made by someone else.

Related article: A simple guide to living below your means