On your life’s purpose: why do you spend?

One of the questions I like to pose every so often is “why do you spend?” Often times, people over-do it on things they enjoy to make up for the things they don’t. Maybe you work in a field that just doesn’t do it for you, so you make up for disappointment in your work life by over-spending in your personal life. Or maybe you overeat as a way to deal with your destructive family life. Instead of covering up bad feelings with money, I want you to heal them with finding your life’s purpose.

A vice or an escape?

We all have vices, but how often are you relying on those vices as an escape instead of just something to enjoy occasionally? I spoke extensively about debt last week: conquering it with a positive mindset and letting go of the fear and shame associated with it. I think so many people fall into debt because they use spending as a way to fill a void in other areas of their lives. Once spending turns into an escape, your financial life is in jeopardy.

Getting in touch with your life’s purpose

This week, I want you to talk a few days to just focus on what you’re truly passionate about. If you’re not sure how to figure out your true life’s purpose, take these few days to explore yourself. Do a yoga class. Spend some time alone. Write in a journal. Do whatever it takes to just let your mind wander into your true self. A good way to start this is to ask yourself: “What is the most important thing in my life?”

Spending purposefully

Once you’ve figured out what’s really important to you, I want you to take an inventory of what you’ve spent money on in the last week or two. If the purchases you made give you a feeling of anxiety or are things you regret buying, they’re probably not in line with your life’s purpose. And you know what? That’s ok. The next time you walk into a store, you’ll know what you really want because you took the time to figure out what didn’t matter.

When you have to make choices about how to spend your money, do so with your true life’s purpose in mind. A lot of us are accustomed to spending money in a reactionary state; we had a rough day so we’ll treat ourselves to an expensive pair of shoes to make it better. But when you’ve aligned yourself with your true desires, you’ll feel more satisfied with your life and the money will take care of itself.

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