Can Possessions Make You Happy?

Can Possessions Make You Happy?

I had a lovely purple vape, even named it Bridget. I didn’t know this at the time, but my identity was wrapped around this vape. My ego thought I was “all that.” Bridget was the biggest vape in the store, she took 4 batteries! Rather than the normal 2 batteries that most vapes take. See, look already I’m comparing and bragging! Long story short Bridget slowly died, first the wiring was soaked in vape juice and crapped out, then I dropped the tank and the glass broke. Let me tell you, I’ve never felt more empty inside over a possession since the time my friend broke my Call of Duty disk and I cried (true story). I felt like I lost a part of myself. I was identified with the way I looked with Bridget in my hands, the fact my vape was bigger than all my friends.

That’s what the ego tells us: You are what you have.

Doesn’t it seem strange to you that we live in absolute abundance yet many of us suffer from depression, stress and anxiety. We live in a society where not only do we have clean water and food readily available around every corner, but we have the luxuries of the internet, cell phones, television, music and vape. Yet we still seem to be chasing more. We’ve all experienced getting something you’ve been wanting forever, an Xbox, iPhone or a pair of shoes, a vape, and still, a couple weeks go by and we’re left wanting something more.

It’s the law of familiarity, the same law that sets in after the “honeymoon phase” of a relationship, and the same law that gives us a feeling of emptiness inside no matter how much we have. Easiest way to work around this is to practice daily gratitude. Sure, we all know this, but to have a deep feeling of gratitude for the things in your life isn’t easy. They’ve always been there. Goes back to the old saying “you won’t appreciate what you have until its gone”.

Notice how much people talk about what they have. “Hey look at my CD collection!” “Look at my new shoes.” “I may or may not have point 5 bitcoin to my name, no big deal.” One of the biggest reasons we accumulate “things” is to flaunt them, to have someone notice their possession. You don’t buy a fancy new suit or dress to look at yourself in the mirror. No, you make sure the world is watching you, and it feels good in the moment. But it is nothing but an ego high, it is not lasting happiness, and it’s nowhere near the amount of joy you’re capable of experiencing when you live from what people call your “higher self”. A place the ego will never understand, and gives you every reason to ignore.

If you are the cell phone in your pocket, meaning your ego identifies with this item, than guess what, when the screen shatters you’ll feel a little broken inside. When the new iPhone 15 comes out, you’ll feel irrelevant. This is a dangerous game to be playing. A game where you do not control your emotions, where what you feel is determined by outside circumstances. It’s time for you to reclaim the power your ego has so willingly given away. How do we do this? How do we stop identifying with our objects?

There are many ways, but just start with this: get to a place where you want something for someone else more than you want it for yourself. Meaning, give. This has nothing to do with buying things for others, which if you can, do it. But simply give a compliment, moral support, a hug. Stop focusing on your own image for once and focus on making life better for someone else. Sounds simple but truly wanting someone else to experience joy and acting on those desires rather than ego desires will make you an extremely happy person long term.

-Cameron Dube, HUMBOWL