We live in a society that is driven by instant gratification. If we want we can have a pizza at our door in 30 minutes, even 24 hours a day, depending on where you live. The retail industry seems to always have something on sale. Usually it’s something you wanted before, but now it’s on sale, while something else you really want is on a non-sale rack, while you wait for that item to go on sale. It’s a really vicious cycle when you see it. But, there is no doubt that making that purchase does something to you emotionally. It actually feels good. However, that feeling is only temporary. Instant gratification is exactly that, temporary.
Advertisers, marketers and anybody who wants to sell us something has become an expert at convincing us that instant gratification is the key to our happiness. I will be the first to admit that I have made purchases for instant gratification. When I was younger my parents refused to buy me certain clothing brands because they were unaffordable. So, the first thing I did when I got my summer internship last summer was went and bought myself a pair of Air Jordans. While it was nice to fulfill this childhood wish, the gratification I got from it died down almost instantly after my purchase.
So, how do we overcome this? First you really want to make a conscious effort to control the mental toxins that get in the way of your life. When you start to realize the the power of letting go and just go with the flow, then you will start to really see the futility of instant gratification. It’s just an impermanent illusion that the world has disguised as the key to your happiness.
Tags: instant gratification, happiness, inner peace, social programming
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A tip I’ve read somewhere is to never go to shopping without a list of things to buy, and to avoid to buy items not in that list.
It’s a tough task and I myself am guilty to giving into instant gratification at times. But it goes back to realizing what you have and how fortunate you are to be in the position you are in now. There will always be something that you want and can’t have.