Take a moment to think about a time when you’ve seen a friend post on social media about an expensive vacation or a neighbor driving a fancy new car. Think about what you feel in those moments. If you’re like most of us, you’ll feel a little twinge of envy even if you don’t consciously think that you’re jealous of what they have.
Many of us measure our own value based on other people’s consumption. We’re culturally programmed to do this! I call it compare + despair. But my friend, there is a better way. It is possible to let go of what other people think.
Mark Butler is a budget-loving finance nerd and is the founder of the accounting startup Let’s Do the Books. He’s been on my show several times, and in this 2016 episode we discuss how to stop defining yourself with money.
“Money had no judgement. Money doesn’t care,” says Mark in the episode.
Listen in to today’s episode to learn more about the programming that drives us towards consumption, how to view money and consumption through a different lens, how to change your stories about money, and how to stop worrying about the judgement of others.
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LISTEN HERE
WHAT YOU WILL DISCOVER
- The cycle of compare + despair
- The hedonic treadmill
- What’s the promise in the purchase?
- The attraction to what is new + shiny
- The whole consumption story
- Truths about our spending
- How to choose your words – “not yet”
RESOURCES FOR YOU
- Mark’s website
- Carol Dweck interview on Mindset
- Conversation with Mark on Money + Shame
- Kristin Neff interview – Compassion as a Motivator for Change
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