How do i stay away from being over-materialistic?

Question

My classmates are definetely so much richer than i am and they change phones everytime and buy expensive things. I dont. One can't help but be jealous. So anyone please help?

Answer 1

"The more things you own...the more things that own you."
Rid yourself of materialism and you are free.

Answer 2

Buying unnecessary commodities is a waste of time.
Time is worth more than money. Therefore, an individual
who spends less time buying redundant items has
more resources in the form of intangible assets.
For example, what is gained by buying 5 phones
if an individual can only talk on one phone at a
time. The time spent buying the extra phones could
have been spent talking on the phone(to state that
each phone is for a different purpose is to remove the
redundancy which is being described).

Answer 3

Just decide what you want your future to be. Your classmates that change phones and buy expensive things are into "instant gratification". This is a bad habit to start. If you learn the dicipline now to put off instant gratification now for security later, you will be the one better off. If you save now for your future, you can have much more of what you want later on. Your classmates will always be chasing the next best thing. Decide what type of home, car, toys you want and start saving as much as you can spare in a Mutual Fund that is earning money for you. If you can do this, you will save money in credit card interest, and ultimately have more money to buy what you want instead of charging it and giving too much of your hard earned money to a bank. Concentrate on learning and saving, It may not seem like it, but this will help you avoid the pitfalls that most people fall into when they work for what the can get right now. Ask any financial analyst. They will tell you not to spend now but save now for the future.
This is my practical answer because I realize that there is so much pressure in this world to prove your worth by what you own. The reality is, none of thoes material things mean anything. Your worth has nothing to do with what you own, and "real life" is not about material things. The most worthy people in this world have been people who have owned nothing; Ghandi, Mother Tereasa, and our savior Jesus Christ. This is what real worth is. I have nothing compared to most of the people I work with, but I am so much happier than they are because I'm not in debt, and I have everything I "need". I'm not chasing something that is not real and I spend my spare time trying to help other people realize what is really important in life. As the wisest man (King Soloman) said in Proverbs, "...material things are vanity".

Answer 4

When you are in a moment of jealousy, you likely don't feel good about yourself or about the world. Jealousy is terrible way to live.

Eastern philosophy would have you look at what you have. You have a computer. Some people will die today because the don't have food. They will be jealous of food. You live in a nation where you can access education. Some children don't have schools or supplies. They will be jealous of you.

Consider what you would tell the person who is starving today and is jealous of you.

Answer 5

When you feel compelled to be envious of what someone has, ask yourself how acquiring this thing would benefit you and those around you.

Most materialistic needs are valueless in this respect.

If you do chase the desire of acquiring these things, how do you really feel once you have them?

Do you feel any better, superior or different?

Do you gloat about the fact that you have this thing?

If so, how long does that last?

Then ask yourself if you really like these qualities about you.

Most people are brought up to have bigger, better, faster but don't really give it much thought. When they do, they realize they are chasing illusions of happieness.

Answer 6

Good story for you. My wife's grandfather grew up as a dirt poor miner in West Virginia. His whole life he had amazing stories and lived to a old age ( 93 now) and is in better shape than most 30 year olds. He still lives in the same miners house, has cloths that he owned in the 60s and only buys big ticket items like cars when he needs them. He is also a millionaire - as he had no need for spending he kept putting money in the bank. He recently asked us if we wanted it and I told him to go on a crazy vacation while he still could - true to his form he told me that he had no desire to do such a thing.

And there you go. If you don't covet material possessions, you find happiness in other things.

Answer 7

"He is the richest who is content with the least. For content is the wealth of nature" declares the celebrated Greek Philosopher Socrates. Never add some thing to your collections without need. Never compare others' possessions. Free yourself of the needless things, you will find happiness. Understand that hoarding is not saving. Be happy with what ever is given to you.

Answer 8

1.earn money if you cant overcome the jealousy.

2.try to have anything that the rich guy doesnt have.

they can change mobile phones but you can change pretty gf every other day

3.think about

whats the big deal in changing mobile phones so often?

whats the big deal in buying expensive clothes if he is short and ugly?

if your body is mascular and well shaped , you look better even with towels.

Answer 9

i willm tell you this. when i was growing up, my parents were very poor. my grandmother was not. anything that they couldnt handle, she git it for them. i have 1 older brother. as we grew older, although everything turned around and my dad and mom could handle everything now bc they got good jobs, she kept paying for things. but only for my brother. everything had to be the best. anything he wanted he got. i never got half the stuff he did, but now, i am a better person than he is. my grandmother brainwashed him basically and now becuase my mom is not as rich as she is, and the medium life style isnt good enough, he hates my mom bc he doesnt think that she ever gave him anything, let me tell you this, my parents did the best they ever could with what they had. if it didnt go to bills, it went to us. i am very thankful for whatever i get unlike him. now my brother is not talking to my parents or i and i do not get to see my niece again. so even if you think you have it under control, know that money isnt everything, and be thankful for whatever you get. dont ever turn you back on your family, no matter what, they always did what they could. just dont let it get to where i am, depressed and lonley because i will never get to see my baby niece ever again because of a grandmother that was materalistic.....

Answer 10

Cultivate detachment from your desires and accept the radically finite nature of material existence.

Answer 11

Don't compare yourself with others. Be yourself. Know your limits and live according to that. Jealousy is a dangerous thing. It will destroy yourself.