Why do we save things for special occasions?

Why do we save things for special occasions? I have just watched this very inspiring TED talk by Gillian Dunn. She has explored the subject of why we often acquire things but don’t use them. Gillian believes it is because we think they are too good to use, so we save them for special occasions.  

This may be based on the fear of scarcity, that we don’t have enough, or it may be because we feel we are not good enough. When we buy things, we are really shopping for things that are missing in our lives. We promise ourselves that we will use our favourite items at some point in the future, when we have earned the right to. But often that time never comes.

We acquire more and more stuff, but our treasured items never get used. I can definitely relate to this. I have had a clear out of clothes in the past, only to realise that some no longer fitted me, and had never been worn.

As a nurse, Gillian points out life can change forever in a moment, and all those excuses for us not using our items suddenly seem very shallow. Her recommendation is to see yourself as important enough to enjoy your special belongings now, and to make your life one you enjoy. I think that is a lovely message, and one I certainly intend to use going forward.

Project 365

I set up this website after deciding that I want to build a more creative life for myself, so I can give up my job and be in control of my own destiny.

I have set myself a goal of publishing an article on my website every day this year, to document my journey from employment to self-employment.

The name I chose was Project 365 because I see this as a year that I have dedicated to learning and self-development, as I countdown to freedom. It started on 1st January 2021, so I have 317 days to go!

Why not check in on a regular basis to see how I am progressing, and what I have discovered?