Maybe you are a person who likes shopping? Do you like to buy things because they are 'cute', 'beautiful', or 'interesting'? Be careful, this behavior if done continuously can become a consumptive behavior. Even if it has become a habit, it will manifest materialistic nature in the future.
This trait will not be good if it has become a personality. Because materialistic people have a thin slice of the things they want and need. Sometimes what you want becomes a need. Meanwhile, necessities are more urgent. If it's like that, then you will look for ways to be able to smooth the desire to 'buy stuff'. Whatever and however.
This behavior can be overcome. Although the theory is quite easy, in practice it is a little difficult. Because the consumer must really suppress lust and exercise self-control to submit. What are the ways to overcome materialism? There are 6 ways to control yourself:
Make a priority scale
The most severe temptation for people who like to 'shop' is to go to a place to buy and sell. Especially malls, supermarkets, snack places, discount places, and everything. Because in this place the desire to own and buy is hard to contain. To overcome this, all you need to do is make a priority scale. The goal is to determine the level of what items are important and not important to buy.
List of items that 'MUST BUY'
After making a priority scale, you will know what items are important to have and not important to have. Including any goods that are included in the category of necessities and categories of goods that are only wanted. Then make a checklist of the items, what to buy. This will help you to minimize the purchase of goods that are not necessary as well as them – the price or budget that you have to spend.
Say 'NO' to 'WANT'
If it turns out that there is something that shakes your appetite, try to say no. Especially items whose function is not so important. Immediately tell the desire to say no. You can try to close your eyes and go away. This helps you to quickly forget the item you wanted earlier.
Watch less advertising in the media
Usually, this is experienced by girls and young girls. Lots of media used for business fields. Television, newspapers, magazines, to online media such as Instagram, Facebook, Line, Twitter, and so on. One way to reduce it is to limit the use of social media. The more often you actively look at the goods being traded, the more difficult it is for you to control the desire to buy.
Did you know that this includes the delivery of messages indirectly, which has a very powerful effect on the mind? One of the advertisements in the media that influences us can be seen from the promotional impressions of facial whitening creams. Let's see, where the models they have are rarely classified as "not beautiful". From these models, the women who watched the advertisements finally perceived themselves that by using facial whitening cream products, they could be as beautiful and similar to the models who played the role of using these products. Herein lies a very powerful influence, if it is not wise to exercise self-control then it can be self-defeating.
Spend time with friends and family
Friends and family are the components of life that are closest to us. These two people can help to control the desire to buy. For example, spend time playing at a friend's house. Or spend time with your family at home. Instead of spending time together in buying and selling places. It's just as difficult to control desires.
A lot of charity for others
The last way you can do to control the desire to buy goods is to get used to giving to other people. Try to collect the items that you have purchased, but are no longer used. Count the amount, then give it to others who need it more. In addition to making the person who is given a happy feeling, this charity can open our hearts a little to care more about others.
Those are the six important ways to control yourself so you don't get caught up in the consumptive nature that leads to materialism. I hope you all can control your desires and prioritize needs more. Thank you for reading and I hope this article was useful for you. Regards
Lead image source by Unsplash
I struggle to control this, the truth is that I spend so much time without buying anything different from the market, that when I buy something for myself like clothes, shoes, makeup etc, I want to buy it all.