There are
continuous marketing campaigns for the sale of houses and apartments in Chiang
Mai, Thailand. More than super-large billboards, showing mostly only the interiors
of those houses, shouting for attention.
I think
every fourth truck that drives here is pretty much a concrete truck. Chiang Mai
is exploding. A huge amount of growth and development. It seems absolutely there
is no economic crisis, although many apartments and houses are vacant.
On the
way back from a funeral, I again saw large signs of yet another new project.
With my background in construction and architecture I continue to find it
strange that apparently a beautiful interior on the enormous photos has to sell
the houses. You will not find the structure and layout of the houses. They all
look like showroom. It seems like you are buying a house for the curtains, the
bed or the couch.
This new
project showed in bold written words: "More is better" and as you can
see in the photo, even a bird did already shit over that 'slogan'. Perhaps that
animal understands things better than many people do. After all, life is not
about always more, let alone that you find lasting happiness in it. It are only
companies and in particular marketers who help us to believe this. After all,
money has to be earned.
Better is
the exact opposite. Not more, but less. And less creates space to breathe, to
enjoy quality and ... to be happy and grateful for what you already have.
Most of
our houses are often already some sort of warehouses more than full of stuff.
We continue to collect, sometimes we don't even know why we bought anything at
all. And more could be added because that is better ???
Last week
someone told me a great way to create space in your house again. It actually
has to do with two things, he said. What he told me resonated in me:
- Just walk through your house. Take room by room and step by step things that are standing, laying or hanging in that room in your hands and ask yourself (be honest with yourself) "Does this still bring me joy, more happiness in my life? Do I still get energy from this? If the answer is 'No', just get rid of it.
- After that first action, creating space, you organize the things that remain. This is another way to have more room, get an overview and easier to find those things that make you happy when you need them.
More is
better? Do not make me laugh. What is life all about? About the endless process
of wanting more and more? Clinging on and guarding and protecting more because
it makes you all so much more happy or robs you of space and freedom?
The desire to have more and hold more breeds anxiety. That anxiety makes us act out of fear of loss. When we cling to things, we become slaves of our (always only temporary) possessions.
In my opinion, the greatest goal in life is LIVING. And for joy, freedom, letting go and space to breathe are the most important factors in that. That is something else than continuing to collect more because it would be better.
The desire to have more and hold more breeds anxiety. That anxiety makes us act out of fear of loss. When we cling to things, we become slaves of our (always only temporary) possessions.
In my opinion, the greatest goal in life is LIVING. And for joy, freedom, letting go and space to breathe are the most important factors in that. That is something else than continuing to collect more because it would be better.
Wake up and create space to live joy.
Gangey Gruma (Frans Captijn)
Captijn Insight. Catalyst in developing tranquility & in-sight to get in a sustainable way real connection, purpose, pleasure and flow in life, love, family, business, career and work again.
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