When you are happier, you can be more productive. And you won’t have to manage stress because stress is nowhere. As we have talked about in the previous Sundays, we need to deal with those necessary stresses but get rid of the unnecessary ones. Two Sundays ago, we talked about Simplifying Your Joy. Last Sunday, we talked about Sharing Your Stock. Today, let us talk about this: Stop Stuffing!
Yes, you have to stop stuffing. A lot of times, we gather things. We buy stuff that we do not use. And we stock them. What we don’t realize is that this costs us money for its acquisition, maintenance and storage. It uses up space, time, effort and thoughts. It uses up bandwidth of the mind and at times, add stress. So stop stuffing.
Quit buying things you do not need, even if they are on a bargain (unless you are in a buy-and-sale business). Some people would buy items on sale with the thought that they are buying on a discount. In Tagalog, iniisip nila na nagtitipid sila. But it is not actually the case. The truth is, when they walked out of that mall after purchasing that item, even if it was 70% off, they still spent money away. If that is worth P1000, their P1000 bill is now gone!
Thus, do not buy because it is on sale; buy because you need it. On the financial side, this will lessen your expenses and you will have more money to save and invest. On stress management, it is a preventive measure because you will not have to think where to stock them in your room or closet. It will prevent you from having stuff that you do not really need. Hence, minimizing the cost and the possible stress it may caused.
Currently, I am in a project which I call #StopStuffing. Just this morning, I was trying to fix things in my room. There are a lot of stuff that I needed to fix.
Aside from sharing some stuff (which I talked about last Sunday), I also started telling some of my clients to stop giving items.
Let me give you a background: There are three kinds of speaking or training engagements that I have: those with a fee, those which are free, and those where I receive small token.
Last week, I started telling those groups who give tokens that while I appreciate those gifts, they don’t have to bother. I already have a problem where to stock those plaques and certificates. If they still want to give me a certificate, they do not have to put it in a frame. And if they still want to give an item, they do not have to, or if they insist, they better convert it to cash instead. I made this decision because as I look at the items in my room, I have been stuffing things that I do not use. (For them not to feel bad, they can express their love and appreciation to me by their words of affirmation. Simple written notes would also be great!)
#StopStuffing is a project that you may adapt to simplify your life and relieve yourself of unnecessary stress. This applies to clothes, shoes, bags and the like. If you want to buy shoes, buy something that is durable that you can use for several years so you don’t have to buy regularly. This is will even save you money, contribute to environment protection (less garbage), and it helps in relieving you stress.
Today, start living a life with less stress. Get rid of those unnecessary stresses brought about by unnecessary items in your life. Get rid of those unnecessary stresses brought about by unnecessary desire to stock things up in your life. After all, life is not about things. It is about thoughts. It is not about luxuries. It is about love.
(Chris Dao-anis, CPA, ACG, ALB is a trainer and speaker on communication and personal leadership. His latest book ‘Living Large in the Little Things’ is available at Mt. Cloud Bookshop, Casa Vallejo, Upper Session Road, Baguio City. For talks and trainings, email him at chrisdaoanis@gmail.com or visit his website www.chrispoweracademy.com. Watch his daily videos: #ConfidenceCode on www.fb.com/chrisdaoaniswriter and his weekly video: #MindShift on www.youtube.com/chrisdaoanis. Get a free PDF report titled ‘7 Money Manners’ on www.chrispoweracademy.com/7free.)