“If I buy one more thing I will be motivated to go on.”
At some point in time, we all have had certain thoughts along these lines. Spending it over our frivolous years of youth because with certainty we have come to believe in the unpredictability of the youthful years.
We have settled to squandering money, our earned money over things we do not even need because the youth have started to believe that this is the only way they can get some kind of Joy out of the bleakness that they feel about their future.
The materialistic world that is so fast-paced makes you believe in living like there’s no tomorrow. By having such less faith in the tomorrow we let our life be a meaningless meander from working hard for the money just to squander it away on things that give us a moment’s Joy.
The macroeconomic conditions in our country do not favour a hopeful lifestyle, instead, there are youth unemployment rates higher than they had ever been before.
In an available workforce of 50%, there is an unemployment of 25% as recorded in the April to June quarter of 2021 alone. It is indicative of the fact that when money is acquired one would rather spend it all on accessible materials rather than save it for a future that the country is not promising them.
The youth is losing expectations of a better and improved environment and thus, try to gratify their immediate needs through spending all of their earned money. This ideology may also be a product of the fact that we are earning just enough to get by, that saving small amounts will only lead to accumulated small amounts and therefore, saving loses value in the youthful eyes.
The youth are purchasing their present with their future as collateral. For the little gratification because the future is not holding any meaning in their lives.
This perspective is what the economic conditions of a middle-class household and the macroeconomic conditions of the country have compelled us to believe in.
To change it and have some faith in the future is through a change in mindset. Youth is a time in life that can never be figured out, there are uncertainties that you will have to face but what helps in such a time is the certainty of meaning.
When you have faith and meaning in your journey of growing up and letting this youth fill your heart, you promise yourself a future despite what the world outside of you may want you to believe in.
Being Mindful of our spending, asking why we need what we need and working for what we want to believe in can make all the difference in our perspective needs. It is the Awareness of Self that guides you to the meaningfulness of your actions.
Materialism will always be a part of life, we have been born and bred into it, it is embedded in every little thing our gaze falls on, but being Aware or Mindful can help this materialism not have this immense power over you. It is about you being in control over your life, not this material gratification.
Joys are found in the little moments in life that the materialistic outlook may stop you from believing in. Yes, we should be living in the moment instead of dwelling on our past or worrying about our future but it is only through Mindfulness and finding meaning in your present Self that you will truly let go of things that do not matter in actuality.
It is about finding motivation for the future within you rather than through the things that only promise momentary contentment.
