A Case of the Monday’s

May 10, 2010 in Life with 6 Comments

The resistance is strong within me today.

I sat at my desk for a few hours brainstorming topics and thinking about what I was going to write about today.

Nothing was getting me overly fired up. I wrote a couple of business related posts, but I found myself constantly drifting away from those topics. But then, as I starred out my office window, I began to think about how happy I am to be here. This morning I arrived at my office around 7:30am, with an extra large cup of coffee in hand, and got down to business.

It felt great to be here after a great weekend.

When I went to bed last night, I was a happy camper looking forward to the week ahead.

How about you?

I’d be willing to bet that a lot of people went to bed last night miserable. A lot of people woke up this morning with a case of the Monday’s. They woke up just downright angry and pissed off about the week ahead.

Can’t blame em right? Duty calls. They’ve got bills to pay.

As Hugh MacLeod says, “They hate their work, but they love their “stuff”.” deathbystuff.jpg

We’re a society of people caught up in the trap of believing we have to keep slaving away with an end-goal of acquiring more and more “stuff”.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m challenged every day. We all are. Do you think I want to pre-order an iPad today and just put it on the credit card? Of course I do.

Check out Seth’s riff on debt. It’s an endless loop. We’re attracted to stuff which gets us further and further into debt and requires us to go to jobs we hate and drudge through the week.

The problem with the endless pursuit of stuff, and getting yourself further into debt, is that it comes at the expense of your life and overall happiness.

So here’s my question for you.

If you went to bed with an uneasy feeling about the week ahead, or if you’re at work and suffering from a case of the Monday’s, take a couple of minutes and truly ask yourself why.

What’s the root cause of your feelings?

Try and pin it down and be honest with yourself.

Each day I realize, more and more, just how little stuff I actually need. The key is to actually realizing you need a lot less than what you originally thought. When that happens, all sorts of doors begin to open.

Check out Hugh’s post called “Death by Stuff.”

Hugh is right-on here.

Stuff is killing you, and I don’t want you to die like that.

  • smayers

    You said you had a hard time with your post today, but you hit on a subject that most of us should take to heart. If people would look at their lives and how they live, many would see that they really don't need all that “stuff.” Advertising tells us that we need two cars, a TV in every room, the latest appliance, and fashionable clothes. Many women work to give half their salary to daycare centers and extended after school care for their children. With less “stuff”, they could be a stay-at-home mom. Raising your own children is a lot more rewarding than working for a salary. It sure was for me.

  • John-Boy

    Most,who knows maybe 98%, of the population are perfect sheeple.

    They eat up the advertisements like sweet candies and obey the Admen without question.
    The Bright Shiney Thing syndrome strikes perpetually and is deeply rooted within their(our?) brains.
    One can NEVER have enough :) don'tcha know?

    If they would get off of TV(hypno-box) for a time, they MIGHT awaken from their somnambulistic jail of consumption.

    Same goes for sports events and concerts.Can't go the see the Packers without my FancyPants Team Jacke and hat, matching beer mugs for home parties too!

    People used to die from “consumption” of a different sort(TB) but, our time's kind may be more deadly as more lives are wasted due to it.Dead no, just walking dead.(Could make a neat movie script.The night of the Visa-bots)

    Like crack addicts, the never ending exposure eventually alters the brain until it is too late to go back to being “normal” again.

    More…more…and STILL more make for nice obedient baby Jabba the Huts.

    BTW, it is also a very good tactic to distract one from what the politicians are doing.

    Better stop now.

    There's a Spring Fashion Sale at the Mall and I just can't miss out on getting something sharp to wear. (ZZ Top playing in the background)

  • Paul

    When one travels to other countries you realize how they get buy with less stuff. It's ingrained in our psyche from all the advertising. Can one be a wise minimalist consumer?

  • http://noahfleming.com/ Noah Fleming

    My problem is the endless pursuit of more stuff in exchange for a life.

    Sure – many call it a “lifestyle.” I guess if that's how people want to spend their days. I'm just realizing early on what I feel many are going to regret once it's too late.

    You're so right about other countries. That's maybe the reason a lot of people like to travel only to where its comfortable or almost like home. People like to stay on the tourist track where the companies can implement all the familiarities of home (gift shops, souvenirs, more advertising, stuff)

    I 100% agree that we can be wise minimalist consumers. I will still be buying lots of tech toys.

  • http://noahfleming.com/ Noah Fleming

    Thanks so much for the perfect comment.

    You're so right.

  • http://noahfleming.com/ Noah Fleming

    Obedient baby Jabba The Huts – That it going to be the title of one of my upcoming blog posts.

    Thanks as always John boy.