Psychology: 4 luxury items you can only give to yourself

psychology
4 luxury items that you can only give to yourself – and that don’t cost a cent

Luxury is a question of perspective: someone who has a lot of money and lives in a big house filled with beautiful furniture may long for the next, even bigger house or the right car for the spacious driveway. For someone who lives in financial precariousness, status symbols probably play no role. This person may even see a dessert or a ride on the subway as a luxury that they can rarely afford.

Both extreme examples are a good reminder that true Luxury is something completely different. It is about the special things, the things that we do not necessarily need to survive, but that can give us great joy, that can do us good and help us to live a more satisfied life.

Our financial situation is not always in our hands – where and into what circumstances we are born has a huge impact on the opportunities we encounter in life. But fortunately we are entirely responsible for other, non-material luxury goods. And it is precisely these things, and not the cars, watches and handbags, that ultimately make us content and happy.

4 important luxury items that only you can give yourself

1. Luxury of saying no

Putting our own needs first is not always possible. Sometimes there are responsibilities in life that we have to fulfill because other people depend on us or because we have to earn a living. But in other situations we do have the option of simply saying no. Not doing something that we don’t want to do. We don’t have to meet up with a friend if we don’t feel like it or we’re tired. We don’t have to accept every to-do at work if it’s not part of our job. Being able to say no is a luxury that we can’t always afford – but we should treat ourselves to it more often.

2. Luxury of a new beginning

We alone are responsible for our lives. If we are unhappy, feel uncomfortable and don’t enjoy what we do day in and day out, it is our job to change that. Of course, that is not always possible to the fullest. We can’t conjure up a few million euros overnight to quit our stupid job and travel the world. But we can and should question what exactly bothers us about work and what we need to be happier. Then we can take the necessary steps to get closer to the life we ​​want. A fresh start like this is a luxury, but it can be important and necessary to be happy in the long term.

3. Luxury of authenticity

Science now agrees that it is not constant happiness and chasing pleasant feelings that make us happy in the long term – but a feeling of meaning. In other words, a life that we shape according to our individual values, with a job that fulfills us in this way and a place to live that suits them. Such values ​​can look very different: for one person, the only option may be a job in which they actively do something good and help others. Someone else may consider it sensible to choose the best-paid job in order to use the money they earn in line with their individual values. The important thing is that we know ourselves well enough to be able to afford this luxury of authenticity and a life according to our values.

4. Luxury of time alone

Depending on our lives and family situation, time spent alone can be a luxury that is not always available. This is certainly the case for parents of small children, but perhaps also for people who live with other relatives or who live in a shared apartment for financial reasons. In all of these cases, it can be something very special when we have time and space in which we only have to be there for ourselves. This luxury is not always available, but it can be good if we make it possible every now and then. Because only when we take this time alone – even if it is only for a few minutes – can we really arrive at ourselves and manage to be mindful of ourselves, our thoughts and feelings.

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Brigitte