The Truth Will Set You Free – Part 14 of 20

I recently read a post on Johnny B. Truant’s blog that really hit home. So much so that I wanted to do two things: share it with my readers and 2) think on and write about each piece of his post. The post is “20 Truths About Life No One Wants To Believe” and the next one I am going to tackle is:

14. There is very little that you truly need. Food. Water. Air. Shelter. Those are the things you need. You do not need a house. A cardboard box covering your head will do just fine. It’s not ideal, but it will work. Most people inflate their personal cost of living by turning things that they merely want into things they feel they need. It’s okay to want things. It’s good to want things. But stop adding stress to your life by equating your gym membership or your car to your literal survival. If you lose most things, you and your family will continue to live and will still probably manage to be happy from time to time.

Oh, this is a good one! Right up up my alley, in my wheel-house and gets me where I live (so to speak).

The moment we lose touch with the truth that our physical needs are few is when an Ego-based sense-of-self begins to rise, and “take over.”

Yes, being comfortable is nice, and given the choice I would rather have the “creature” comforts I enjoy: I like to ride my motorcycle, and I find my iPhone handy, and . . . .

But I know – deep down – that none of those things is necessary.

Not necessary for my actual, physical, survival.

And certainly not necessary for a healthy sense of Self.

I’m particularly glad that the opportunity to write this post has come along, now.

I recently started a gratitude practice (each I write down five things I’m grateful for) and I’m happy to report that most of the “things” I’ve written down are not things.

What do you really need?

What do you cling to, or crave, that you think you need?

Your ability to be truly happy and at peace is directly related to your sense of needing unnecessary things.