Out of sign, out of mind

This is a delicious day in the countryside. Walks among the trees, the smell of flowers, some sandwiches and a little nap under the sun at the end. Nothing and nobody bothers us. We do not receive any message that reminds us that we have to buy something to be happier. There is no place for consumption, and everything goes wonderfully.

Now is the time of a good day in the city and the game begins. Constant messages that remind us how much we need to possess. Smell of food in every corner. Sweets and candies at your fingertips. Continuous advertising bombardment!

For me it is very clear: - Out of sign, out of mind! - If I do not need it or nobody makes me think otherwise, I do not feel the need to buy anything else, don’t you think?

Many of us usually end up feeling overwhelmed by all the visual stimulation and distractions, stressed with all the calls and messages that surround us, with lack of attention and we need more peace of mind and more time. It seems that it is today's disease. And even being very aware of it, it is very difficult to change it and start concentrating on only one thing at a time.

How to stop buying not only because we are in the countryside where there is nothing around, but being in the hustle and bustle of the city? How to begin to minimize until we feel that we have the reins of our lives again? How to get rid of things that do not make our lives easier and happier? How did all these things end up entering our homes? Why do we allow this to happen?

After many years of minimalism, there is something that works quite well for me. Although I have never considered myself a consumer, I also love going shopping. Not because of the need to buy, but because of inspiration. When I am drawn to something and I want to have it at home, then it is when I put into practice what I call the dream rule. Ha! What does that mean? Well, I do not buy it in the first instance and let a few days pass. If I dream of that and I find myself constantly remembering, then I think about it. But most of the time it does not happen to me and I forget.

But it is even more effective to learn how to get rid of excess and thus get more space. And for that, only two questions are needed. Do I like it? Do I "use-need" it? If both answers are not positive, it is time to get rid of them. It's that easy.

However, sometimes it is easier to see it in another way! Instead of thinking about what I can get rid of, I think about what really makes my life better. I think about facing a fire at home and the need to leave in seconds or move to another city/country in a short time or just move to a smaller apartment. Would I bring all these things with me? What would I try to take in 5 seconds before saying goodbye to all this?

What would you do? What would you choose if you had this little time?