Have you ever thought about how miserable you would be if you were to lose something or someone close to you? Is it possible that you might be clinging so tightly to things because you are afraid of losing them? And then, when you eventually lose those things, it might feel like your life is falling apart. You may have an attachment to money, clothes, friends, significant other, phones, and even to other people’s perceptions of you. Perhaps it’s because these things bring comfort to you, and give you a sense of identity. The only person who can determine your reason is yourself. But through these attachments, comes suffering.
How does that work, you might ask? When you cling to things, and not only material things, but people, life events, and emotions, you may become so attached that you can barely do without them. Having wants and desires is a natural process of life. Indulging in these things is perfectly normal. But a problem arises when you cannot recognize the line between indulging and overindulging. Indulging is when you allow yourself to partake in the things that please you. Overindulging is when you indulge in those pleasures but to an excessive extent.
We all have one thing or the other that can be considered as an addiction. For some, it is technology. For others, it is shopping or even alcohol. Today, there are quite a lot of things to be addicted to. Big companies are constantly producing the next-best-thing to capture our attention. Or perhaps we only indulge in those things to distract ourselves as an avoidance method to feeling our emotions, self-reflecting, or loneliness.
Unfortunately, the more you overindulge, the more likely you are to become addicted to that thing. When you hold onto things, you are almost telling yourself that you aren’t enough and that you require all these external things to be of value.
There’ll always be something you’re more susceptible to becoming addicted. Try to avoid consistently doing things you know please you, otherwise, you may lose your discipline.
These things aren’t going anywhere. The universe is abundant. You will not be missing out on anything just because you aren’t doing or buying it now. There will always be something better than the next. So for now, allow yourself to let go of your attachment and rest.
Non-attachment to things may bring you happiness because then you are less afraid to lose those that don’t contribute to your worth.
Learn about types of attachment styles.