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January 29, 2014

Grateful or Greedy?


I find that the lack of gratefulness is at the basis of all my struggles: weight, housekeeping, mood, etc. It's all so connected. Because when I'm ungrateful, I'm greedy.

I've been stuck on the Less is More chant lately, probably because I feel like I'm drowning in stuff right now. We've inherited lots of items we didn't expect and although we've been picky with what we bring into our home, there is still so much stuff!

It's really hard for me to make room for it and I find myself wanting to escape, not a good plan when there's so much to do. Today I'll be hammering away at the piles around the house and at my drawers and cabinets. I'm going to be utterly ruthless on what I'm keeping. Even as I write that, I'm struck by how undeservedly privileged I am to even have these choices.

I take it for granted every day, even whine about it. When these are actually choices I've made, these "things". I could live with less. I could choose to be content with what I have. I could choose memories over stuff. But I keep bringing home things I supposedly need and forget how few of them I will actually use.

I'm beginning to wonder if I should change my word of the year to grateful. Because I keep discovering how the lack of it is at the basis of struggles like: weight, housekeeping, mood. It's all so connected. Because when I'm ungrateful, I'm greedy. My mind's all full of "I want, I want" and I think I deserve to ~ overeat, have stuff, and be grumpy.

But if I was walking in gratefulness those things wouldn't be a temptation. I wouldn't be focused on what I think I'm entitled to, I'd be too busy being grateful for what I already have. I'd be tasting each bite, instead of hoarding second helpings. I'd enjoy the things I use everyday and how they help me, instead of thinking how I need more stuff. I'd walk in an attitude of happy gratefulness, instead of sulking that things aren't going a different way.

Yeah, I think I might have to add a word this year.


What are you grateful for today?


4 comments :

  1. This post made me think of a quote I love, by William Morris: "Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful." Definitely helps me be ruthless when I'm cleaning things out--which is so necessary to be able to be truly grateful for the important things!

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  2. It's funny, I was just thinking today about having these choices and how being a "minimalist" is a privilege of the well-off. It's wonderful to be free of "stuff" but yes, you're absolutely right, we must remember to be grateful for having the choice to have less. I love how you think Catherine.

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    1. You're so right, Iluska! I enjoyed reading your thoughts on this.

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