You’re not alone if you feel like it’s a frenzied craziness of competition and consumption out there during this time of joy and abundance. You don’t have to if you’d rather not partake in the mania. It’s your internal decision – truly.
Learn to deflect the badgering and raise your consciousness to give from your heart and within, where it counts for true joy in abundance.
It can be hard to navigate through the messages delivered more acutely this time of year. We are promised joy and satisfaction when we get more of what’s being sold. It’s enough to make you feel like a fragmented person, to the point of cringing. You can only become whole again when you buy the latest answers to your dilemmas – and others—adding more to the already expansive lists.
The media and advertisers are very good at delegating your behavior and keeping you externally focused on what they’re selling. It’s usually through fear tactics (yes, fear tactics) because they play on emotions. They’re skilled at telling you what to buy for play, to eat for satisfaction and pleasure, to drink for enjoyment, to think for happiness, and so on.
The messages are abundant, telling us what we need to do and should do and that there’s not enough until we buy more. They use fear based on scarcity.
If you’re unaware of all the external fear messaging designed to keep you wanting more, they’ll keep you in a gluttonous and frenzied state of existence – buying to find joy.
Stop the mass hysteria and get real, true joy stems from gratitude not purchases. Joy doesn’t make us grateful. It’s gratitude that makes us joyful. And that comes from within when you reflect on what you already have and are grateful for. Not what you’ve been ‘sold’ you’re missing. See the difference?
All of this isn’t to say that presents shouldn’t be purchased. The act of giving and receiving is a beautiful thing. But a distinction happens when it comes from the internal focus of our hearts and not the external fear of the media/advertising ranking system.
If this is ringing true for you, then think about this before you buy:
- Are you giving to fit in?
- Why do I (my kids) need this?
- Do I feel good about this?
Remember, gratitude doesn’t come with a price tag; therefore, joy requires no purchase but a raising of consciousness. And please know that gifts of you – your time – your energy – your attention – are some of the best gifts of all.