INVEST IN EXPERIENCES, NOT IN OBJECTS
Think back to your fondest memories.
For me, I think about picking tomatoes with my grandpa—I think about playing "journey" with my childhood best friend (a game we made up, where we pulled a sled of stuffed animals and random things as we went on a "journey" in her neighborhood).
It's usually about the experiences, right? Moments frozen in time—rather than the most expensive gift you've received.
Experiences come with longevity, but also life lessons. Tangible objects lose its value over time, and eventually, we find ourselves yearning for more once the feeling of newness withers away.
I've heard this so many times: Invest in experiences, not objects. And the older I get, the more I realize how important this statement is.
But does that mean we have to buy experiences in order to actually "experience" something?
Of course traveling the world and gaining a multi-cultural experience would be ideal—who wouldn't want to be roaming the streets of madrid or exploring the Appalachian mountains?
But I am talking about the small things that are mistaken for dull things, such as taking a road trip to a small town and exploring the little shops on their main street or trading books with a friend to learn about something new.
These moments are the ones that are priceless, that require little to no money and that are full of value.
But I've also heard that it's better to invest money into something you can use more than once, whether that's an Apple Watch or your favorite outfit.
I mean what do we first think about when we're asked the question, "What would we do if we won the lottery?"
Our minds scurry through our thoughts, thinking about quitting work, buying that dream car or paying off bills, but do we ever think of taking vacation time to spend with family or going on a girls adventure to maybe the next "big" city near your town?
It doesn't have to be an extravagant trip or moment for it to qualify as an experience, it just has to be full of life.
Sounds vague, right? Life is everywhere. Life is me holding my iPhone, life is me buying something new, but I mean the moments that linger—the moments of pure joy and happiness and the things that we can take back to our normal everyday routines.
I'm not saying we can't buy material things, but I am saying treat yourself during those rough weeks with an experience that can help soothe your stress or help you think of happy thoughts rather than the worrying about the potential obstacles you might encounter next week.
Everything has an expiration date—things become old, but memories last a lifetime. The ones that are collected with life lessons that are applicable to our lives are the most important ones, and I believe that experiences are worthy of investment.
Photos by Lowell Wagner
Enrich your life and explore new places, new things and new ideas. Every new experience is a win-win situation and also an investment in our lives. (Without a bill to follow, yay!)
At the end of our lives, I guarantee we are going to ask ourselves this: "Did I experience everything I could in my life?"
It's a simple question undefined by what car you drive or what house you live in, but it is defined by the knowledge you gained and the memories you created.
What will you invest in?