You Are Not Your Stuff

We humans are a funny, funny breed. We spend our entire lives working and working and working to acquire 'stuff'. We buy and surround ourselves with the biggest, fanciest this or that when all the while what we really need and want is something you can't buy anywhere. The thing we all spend our time doing is looking to experience a feeling of significance. It seems most of our actions are rooted in and motivated by our desire to either gain significance or maintain the significance we believe we've achieved. I believe that if you take a hard look at what motivates the majority of your actions you'll begin to see that this is true. You want to feel like you count. You want it to matter that you're around.

Here's some news... You are not your stuff. Stuff doesn't make you significant. You're not any bigger because you have a big house. You're no more significant because your car is fancier than your neighbors. Oh sure, these things may help you feel better for a while, but over time the illusion is broken down.

Just like an illicit drug, the stuff makes you think things about you that aren't necessarily true and once the high wears off you're right back where you were before the trip. Now don't get me wrong. Having bigger, better, nicer stuff is not a bad thing, it just needs to be understood and kept in perspective. It needs to be remembered that this stuff does not make you you. What makes you you are the things that you really can't even see or touch. Things you can only show off, ironically enough, by being you.

What makes you you is the way you feel when something happens that makes a REAL smile wash over your face. One of those smiles that your whole body gets into. What makes you you is the size of the smile in your heart when your child falls asleep in your lap. These things that make you you cannot be bought in any store. Not even a Wal-Mart Super Center. (That's about the only thing you can't get there though.)

Your are not your stuff. That's what I stopped by to tell you this week. You're much more than your stuff. Sometimes that seems to gets lost in the shuffle. If you've been busy chasing and trying to acquire things I'm hoping you're starting to realize things are a poor substitutes for the real stuff. Nothing can replace the feelings. Stop trying to buy your way to the feelings you want. Save your money. Just FEEL.

Maybe who ever said "the best things in life are free" was right...

Just a little something to think about.

Thanks for sitting with me.

Live some. Love some. Learn some. Everyday.

C...

Clyde Dennis, a.k.a. "Mr. How-To" has been writing and publishing Articles and Newsletters online since 1999. Clyde's company EASYHow-To Publications provides "How-To" information on How-To do, be or have just about anything one can imagine. For more information visit http://www.EASYHow-To.com. Email correspondence for Clyde should be sent to: cdennis@easyhow-to.com

MORE RESOURCES:

The spiritual tragedies in Obama#39;s choice of Pastor Rick Warren - Examiner.com

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.examiner.com/x-806-SF-Spirituality-Examiner~y2009m1d7-The-spiritual-tragedies-in-Obamas-choice-of-Pastor-Rick-Warrencid=1287118650ei=su5lSd_LN6XfmQe0l-HMBAusg=AFQjCNFfHZqvk7b34t1w-JwnyZmnDGWw7gimg src=http://nt0.ggpht.com/news?imgefp=CI83Uq0G7sIJimgurl=image.examiner.com/images/blog/author/img455Bonder-Saniel.jpg width=80 height=67 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Examiner.com/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-0fd=Rurl=http://www.examiner.com/x-806-SF-Spirituality-Examiner~y2009m1d7-The-spiritual-tragedies-in-Obamas-choice-of-Pastor-Rick-Warrencid=1287118650ei=su5lSd_LN6XfmQe0l-HMBAusg=AFQjCNFfHZqvk7b34t1w-JwnyZmnDGWw7gThe bspiritual/b tragedies in Obama#39;s choice of Pastor Rick Warren/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fExaminer.comnbsp;-/font nobr12 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1by Saniel Bonder, SF bSpirituality/b Examiner Most people aren’t thinking a whole lot, right now, about the Pastor Rick Warren/Obama Inauguration controversy. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

University Professor: ‘I liked the message of awareness and ... - The Epoch Times

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-0fd=Rurl=http://en.epochtimes.com/n2/content/view/9960/cid=1287832717ei=su5lSd_LN6XfmQe0l-HMBAusg=AFQjCNEG9ZJ_Go4aZjgKSB-X7psSyM2BDAUniversity Professor: ‘I liked the message of awareness and b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Epoch Times,nbsp;NYnbsp;-/font nobr3 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1“I liked the message of awareness and bspirituality/b,” said Mr. Greenaway. “That’s how I live my life, with compassion and kindness. b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-1fd=Rurl=http://en.epochtimes.com/n2/content/view/9852cid=1287832717ei=su5lSd_LN6XfmQe0l-HMBAusg=AFQjCNEOVGK7e9OaUkoA_zP1Rjb5yL4H3wArtist: It Is #39;very spiritually uplifting#39;/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrThe Epoch Times/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-2fd=Rurl=http://en.epochtimes.com/n2/content/view/9948cid=1287832717ei=su5lSd_LN6XfmQe0l-HMBAusg=AFQjCNEGZlKuE8wGdcXmdci-yTsL8HfqXAMore Than Meets The Ear – Profound Inner meaning of DPA Deeply b.../b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrThe Epoch Times/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-3fd=Rurl=http://en.epochtimes.com/n2/content/view/9955cid=1287832717ei=su5lSd_LN6XfmQe0l-HMBAusg=AFQjCNHivL3qs7thNHKhLWZKLJ5-qEaw8gDivine Performing Arts Returns to Enthrall Canadian Theatregoers/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrThe Epoch Times/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1287832717hl=ennobrall 44 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Day 3: Oprah#39;s Best Life Week - Spirituality - CBS 4

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/2i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.pennlive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2009/01/west_shore_bakery_owner_to_be.htmlcid=1287711754ei=su5lSd_LN6XfmQe0l-HMBAusg=AFQjCNECX_RWYOq4I73yp30uVmBpQ6TuKAimg src=http://nt1.ggpht.com/news?imgefp=Od7gP3kj0YQJimgurl=blog.pennlive.com/midstate_impact/2009/01/large_treid.jpg width=80 height=54 alt= border=1brfont size=-2PennLive.com/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/2-0fd=Rurl=http://cbs4.com/entertainment/oprah.winfrey.best.2.901795.htmlcid=1287711754ei=su5lSd_LN6XfmQe0l-HMBAusg=AFQjCNHKEv_y9PW6oUQwuZ_AUwHRtp6HjADay 3: Oprah#39;s Best Life Week - bSpirituality/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fCBS 4,nbsp;FLnbsp;-/font nobr23 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Next up - how to be enlightened through bspirituality/b. quot;I know that this whole life experience here is really a bspiritual/b adventure,quot; said Winfrey. b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/2-1fd=Rurl=http://www.bestsyndication.com/%3Fq%3D20090107_spirituality_101_coping_with_lifes_problems_best_life_week_oprah_winfrey_show.htmcid=1287711754ei=su5lSd_LN6XfmQe0l-HMBAusg=AFQjCNFrxTNVMmiyYJA2nD0X_Bcg9SmJFwbSpirituality/b 101 – Job, Money, Family – Oprah’s Best Life Week on b.../b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrBest Syndication/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/2-2fd=Rurl=http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2009/01/oprahs-best-lif.htmlcid=1287711754ei=su5lSd_LN6XfmQe0l-HMBAusg=AFQjCNEgvgpv-XARJ7rEIZVKjKu-9cwddAOprah#39;s Best Life Week continues with bspirituality/b advice, Suze b.../b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrThe TV Guy/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/2-3fd=Rurl=http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf%3F/base/news/1231308603194650.xml%26coll%3D1cid=1287711754ei=su5lSd_LN6XfmQe0l-HMBAusg=AFQjCNGESp27STVhVwv4hLIhDXpw2nwwzQAppearance on #39;Oprah#39; steels woman#39;s faith/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrThe Patriot-News - PennLive.com/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/2-4fd=Rurl=http://www.wgal.com/food/18428078/detail.htmlcid=1287711754ei=su5lSd_LN6XfmQe0l-HMBAusg=AFQjCNH3nS1_AfotmGFVElQx3fJuOnvMmAnobrWGAL/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/2-5fd=Rurl=http://www.oprah.com/article/seriesandspecials/previousshows/20081025_sas_liveyourbestlifecid=1287711754ei=su5lSd_LN6XfmQe0l-HMBAusg=AFQjCNGrP7hPouPKrL-yV5EFPcDfqc4k0wnobrOprah.com/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1287711754hl=ennobrall 8 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

San Carlos honors Geronimo#39;s courage, spirituality and intellect - Arizona Silver Belt

Rabbi Cohen to study at Jewish spirituality institute - Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle

A closer, faster walk with thee - Los Angeles Times

Transcript: Oprah panel on Larry King Live - CNN International

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-0fd=Rurl=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/01/07/larry.king.oprah.transcript/cid=1286651027ei=su5lSd_LN6XfmQe0l-HMBAusg=AFQjCNG9dezu0ypGuU2vvZv2aXl8ZFwVywTranscript: Oprah panel on Larry King Live/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fCNN Internationalnbsp;-/font nobrJan 6, 2009/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1He is the bspiritual/b adviser to Oprah. He will be a guest on Oprah#39;s Best Life week tomorrow. How is Oprah fitting bspirituality/b into all of this? b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-1fd=Rurl=http://cbs4.com/entertainment/oprah.winfrey.weight.2.900059.htmlcid=1286651027ei=su5lSd_LN6XfmQe0l-HMBAusg=AFQjCNHqxbsidHKK7xrNquCJ8MXpO2GoqQOprah#39;s Best Life Week Begins On CBS4/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrCBS 4/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-2fd=Rurl=http://newsblaze.com/story/20090106083410reye.nb/topstory.htmlcid=1286651027ei=su5lSd_LN6XfmQe0l-HMBAusg=AFQjCNE3pLqAmVwAWIm1VArQEQeto6krRwOprah Winfrey Embarrassed By Her Weight/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrNewsBlaze/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-3fd=Rurl=http://www.examiner.com/x-1869-New-England-Fitness-Examiner~y2009m1d3-Oprah-New-Year-New-Year-for-all-of-uscid=1286651027ei=su5lSd_LN6XfmQe0l-HMBAusg=AFQjCNES-s9VmD71l40liCeRqh77alKvmgOprah#39;s New Year New You for her and us/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrExaminer.com/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-4fd=Rurl=http://cbs4.com/entertainment/oprah.winfrey.weight.2.900910.htmlcid=1286651027ei=su5lSd_LN6XfmQe0l-HMBAusg=AFQjCNFY2s3ksKkquz37aXLOeJdYmudCWAnobrCBS 4/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1286651027hl=ennobrall 164 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Science and spirituality - Express Buzz

Business Partners Love Stories, Spirituality of Show - The Epoch Times

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-0fd=Rurl=http://en.epochtimes.com/n2/index.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26task%3Dview%26id%3D9816cid=1286895394ei=su5lSd_LN6XfmQe0l-HMBAusg=AFQjCNFBUT95rcnxYaslDg50XKE2eNfOVABusiness Partners Love Stories, bSpirituality/b of Show/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Epoch Times,nbsp;NYnbsp;-/font nobrJan 5, 2009/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1What Mr. Ranvaska appreciated most about the show was the bspirituality/b of the stories. “Really, if you listened carefully, you got the meaning and the b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-1fd=Rurl=http://en.epochtimes.com/n2/content/view/9763/cid=1286895394ei=su5lSd_LN6XfmQe0l-HMBAusg=AFQjCNH8o4L1reCcHOZpIXHQ_pqYQspp5gMusic Producer: A Feeling of Serenity, a Type of bSpiritual/b Nirvana/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrThe Epoch Times/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-2fd=Rurl=http://en.epochtimes.com/n2/content/view/9703/cid=1286895394ei=su5lSd_LN6XfmQe0l-HMBAusg=AFQjCNGhLlHxWyQfuVoz9i-pgZiuufIw8wHuman rights lawyer: ‘a combination of history and bspirituality/b in b.../b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrThe Epoch Times/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-3fd=Rurl=http://en.epochtimes.com/n2/content/view/9745/cid=1286895394ei=su5lSd_LN6XfmQe0l-HMBAusg=AFQjCNFh9AOlOqyUFYZkizU_ZE29eDDT-wProfessor: #39;Everything was so Natural#39;/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrThe Epoch Times/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-4fd=Rurl=http://en.epochtimes.com/n2/content/view/9749/cid=1286895394ei=su5lSd_LN6XfmQe0l-HMBAusg=AFQjCNEpHgij1ynlxR1eDnnejREUiUYwDQnobrThe Epoch Times/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-5fd=Rurl=http://en.epochtimes.com/n2/index.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26task%3Dview%26id%3D9760cid=1286895394ei=su5lSd_LN6XfmQe0l-HMBAusg=AFQjCNG9NX2z88TYfaKn1et5XJelZNRWfgnobrThe Epoch Times/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1286895394hl=ennobrall 84 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

JESUIT SPIRITUALITY NOW TAUGHT ON TELEVISION - Catholic Online

Spirituality - Google News

RELATED ARTICLES

What is Enlightenment - Meaning Definition and Its relation to Self-Realization
What is Enlightenment?What do we really mean when we talk of Enlightenment? Is it not the bloom of life for a true seeker of spirituality? The life itself comes to a full circle the moment one reaches the stage of Enlightenment. Seeking Enlightenment in the present age (the metallic age aka Kali Yuga in Hinduism is more of a curiosity than the faint hope of being able to achieve it within the present lifetime.

Do You Need An Answer About Life?
I was originally brought up Catholic, at the insistence of my parents. I quickly lost interest after going through my confirmation and began doing my own thing.

Jesus the Great Teacher --Lessons Learned!
I don't know of anyone who really liked takingtests in school if you did there is somethingseriously wrong with you. It just seemed asthough some breezed through while people likemyself always struggled.

Thou Shalt Not Judge
Judgement; What does this mean? The encyclopedia definition is, "The process of forming an opinion by discerning and comparing". The bible says, "Judge not, lest you be judged", and, "How many times as christians, do we do this?" Are we not to,"judge the sinners?" No, that is not our responsibility.

Affirmations for Emotional Hygiene
Last week I talked about the need to practice emotional hygiene, that is -- emptying your head of all toxic emotions such as jealousy, resentment, envy in order to create a kind of "blank slate." You need to clean your conscious mind of these emotions so that you can use the power of your subconscious mind to manifest more positive events in your life.

Fear Base Society
In today's world we worry about everything, food, jobs, clothing, shelter, children, husbands, etc. But what does the Bible say about fear and what shall I fear.

Is The Person You Think About The Most Missing Gods Point?
Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus said unto him, "Thou shalt lovethe Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thysoul, and with all thy mind." "This is the first andgreat commandment.

The 17 Miracle Prayer Points that Make You Rich
Someone asked me the other day what was the most effective prayer point to pray and become wealthy.I did some digging around and found out thatthe most powerful prayer points for wealthare the ones prayed by one of our partners over 5 years ago.

Youve Got a Curse!
It is tough being here on this plane. You have your life to handle, your family to deal with, and you can't help but feel responsible for them.

I Saw An Angel At Work
Sometimes you have to see something to believe it. Like angels.

Ultimate Truth:The Beginning
You decide! We are often asked to make decisions. Decision is described as, the passing of judgment on an issue under consideration, the act of reaching a conclusion or making up one's mind, a conclusion or judgment reached or pronounced, hence a verdict.

You Can Influence Your Fortunes In Life
Natural laws exist that serve to maintain order in the universe. These laws are usually manifested as regularity in nature (as in the seasons) or as a relationship between cause and effect.

The Power of God's Word in Your Prayer Life
Prayer. It's the foundation of a Christian mom's life.

Undercover Investigation
It is important and necessary that we regularly spend time in purposeful self-examination. We need to take the time to examine our rationales, our pretenses, our masquerades, our motives, our justifications, and our reasoning.

Addiction and Confession
ADDICTION: - There are numerous obsessions and addictions which prevent the soul from healing or achieving its potential. Father Leo Booth and John Bradshaw have written a book on religion as an addiction that I have quoted in many other books so I will present another side to the issue here.

Wings of a Dove
Perhaps one of the most wonderful assertions that can be made about Holy Scriptures is that it clearly shows man in all his humanness. If you really want to understand yourself, if you really desire to know who you are, then it would behoove you to study the sacred Writ and let God speak to your soul.

Bringing Heaven to Earth: Becoming a Spiritual Scientist
Would you like an exciting and wonder-full resolution for the new year?Become a spiritual scientist. Choose to learn the skills of self-mastery,so you can shift out of story-based reality and cocreate your personalheaven on earth.

Sure! Ill be a Millionaire! Discover Wealth and Prosperity with the Angels of Abundance
I was in the bank's vault. The Brink's armored truck had just delivered several million dollars in small bills.

Why There Are Four Gospels
The first gospel written by Matthew,who is Levi, is the first archtype of Christ in you as the fulness of the Godhead.The second gospel by Mark is the second archtype of Christ.

Miracles
It is my personal view that the reason we call things that we don't understand "miracles" is because we are trying to understand them within a very limited framework. This framework is that of our beliefs which have been based largely on scientific inquiry and also exclusively on the use of our intellect or rational mind.