Spending Quality of Life

Convenience- The way to immediate comfort; the thing we all want. We would love everything to be easier and require less effort. From the beginning, when Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden, they began their quest on making life more convenient. In the past few hundred years civilization has taken leaps that are unprecedented to other time periods. Things like air conditioning, running water, lights powered by electricity, and ovens are things that we can easily take for granted because they have been present all our lives. We are very blessed to live in a time period where even the poor are able to live more comfortably than many kings did back in the day.  With more technology and information, we are more easily able to manage problems that we have in our day-to-day life, with all the power we have we can almost eliminate any problem we may have… or so it seems. A problem arises within all this problem solving. The things that once made our life more convenient and easier, suddenly turn into even larger and more profound problems.

For example, no one would argue that an oven is something harmful. It is an extremely useful tool for cooking food quickly and efficiently. In using the oven, we make our life more convenient, which is not a bad thing. However, with the invention of different ways to make food faster and more convenient we have come to invent fast food, which usually is not healthy, and it creates bigger problems later in life if used habitually. I realize this is a big leap, from ovens to fast food, but I believe that this nation has fallen into a philosophy of convenience over health. In this pursuit of convenience, we have accepted foolishness as a means for being healthy. We have been told that if you have depression, you just need to take some drugs to alter your brainwaves. We have been that to avoid getting sick, you should go have a doctor stick a poison needle in your arm (otherwise known as a vaccine). There is such a large problem with obesity in our country that people literally go to the doctor to get their fat surgically removed! Convenience and comfort have been on the throne far too long, and I think it’s time to look at the benefits of healthy habits, and the UN-comfortable that leads to happier and more purposeful lives.

What is one practical application in doing uncomfortable, inconvenient things to acquire more value and health in the future? How about being conscious of what you are wearing. Hardly anyone thinks about what clothes they are wearing, and if they are the optimal choice. People love to buy cheap Nike, Adidas, and main brand things, but most of the time these businesses do not have your best interest at heart. They are trying to make money, which isn’t necessarily bad, but they sell cheap clothing material that isn’t good for your body. This is just one small example of something you can change for your betterment and for others. Also ask yourself, ‘what food am I eating, and where do I buy it?’ or ‘drinking’ or ‘reading’ or whatever. Be conscious and mindful of how you are affecting your body and your society as well. When we buy from cheap, unhealthy dealers, we are not only harming our own body but also the society that we live in. Every dollar you spend is like a vote for the type of business you want to thrive. That’s why, for example, Starbucks is so successful. People are willing to spend $5-$10 for a single cup of coffee that was produced for about $0.50. Many have a habit of getting a Starbucks coffee multiple times a week, not to mention some that go multiple times a day! Without getting into the values and beliefs of Starbucks, I can tell you that is an unhealthy habit that needs to be stopped. (Side note, if I go to get a coffee at a coffee shop, the last one I choose is Starbucks, because they are supporters of abortion and evil. I don’t want to put my dollar/vote into keeping alive a company that goes against my values). This is my encouragement today, when you go to spend your money, ask yourself, ‘does this thing I’m purchasing  align with my values, or am I just buying it for convenience and I want to be lazy?’ Also, ‘does this place that I’m buying from have my best interest at heart, and do they align with my values?’