Rules For Riley; Rule 14: Free Yourself From Possessions

These rules are meant to be bite-sized life lessons that lay a foundation to learn from. They are designed to help cultivate strength, insight, and wisdom as a part of your life. These rules are not definitive and should be used as thought-provoking exercises. These rules are not written in any particular order.

Photo by Etienne Girardet on Unsplash

The language we use to describe material possessions will assign value onto those things. We often embellish our language with superlatives to help inflate the value and impress others. This influences the choices we make; what we choose to buy, wear, or eat seem much better than they really are. Practice cutting possessions down to size with a little contempt. Describe them with the bluntest, blandest language you can. See these things for what they really are, not as a status – and see how much their power over you diminishes.