Broke-Ass Student

Nonsensical musings on the spiritual laws that gravitate around my finances

“There is no statement so absurd that no philosopher will make it” – Cicero

Money is a necessity. It’s something we spend many long hours working hard for. To accumulate a mass amount of wealth by the end of our lives somehow signifies a great depth of success. Learning to respect money through nurturing and proper planning is a wonderful way to watch money grow. How then do so many people lose such desperate control over their money, over something they put so much emphasis on and therefore should be cherishing and nurturing, instead of allowing it to slip so frivolously through their fingers?

The Endless Pursuit of ‘Stuff’

Frivolous spending was my own downfall. I had no comprehension or meaningful insight into money for many years. I spent it faster than I could make it. Or I spent what I didn’t have for ‘stuff’ I thought I needed. Money was something I took for granted and basically abused. When I bought something really fancy for myself, the adrenaline would kick in and I would feel stoked. But it was always a short term solution. I’d quickly grow bored and disillusioned, and the item would be taken for granted. My sights would then be set on the next big fancy ‘stuff’ to acquire. And so, on and on the cycle would continue. Consumerism at its best, and society was more than willing to gorge my greed.

I finally woke up and stopped buying ‘stuff’ I didn’t need. I didn’t need it because ‘stuff’ was serving no useful purpose in my life. It was an empty and meaningless pursuit. It feels good to finally be gravitating away from the useless clutter that has only served in complicating my life. I feel I am finally on a better path.

As my respect for money develops, I also realize the irony in how rich I’ve been up to this point. Money does not automatically hand me over my happiness. It does not give me fulfillment or lead me closer to my greater purpose in life. Neither does money hold the answers to all of my probing questions, or help quench my insatiable curiosity. In the past, it has only led to items, to more ‘stuff’. More stuff’ which in turn led to more complications and more headaches. And to debt. And debt, unfortunately, results in a lot of heartache for many people in similar situations.

Money For Experiences Instead of Items

The experiences I’ve gone through in my life, my memories, are what I truly cherish. The experiences I’ve gained through living have brought me greater joy than collecting material things. I’ve reached the conclusion, therefore, that money is more wisely utilized for experiences instead of ‘stuff’.

When I graduated from high school, I burned with a passion to experience the world and witness life through different cultures. I worked non-stop for over a year in a crappy pizzeria joint and saved every penny I made. When I turned 19, I collected my entire savings and took a flight over the Atlantic to England. I was so enchanted with Europe that I stayed abroad and continued traveling to different countries for over four years. I visited England, Germany, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, and Greece during the time I spent there.

I don’t regret for a moment packing and leaving like I did, instead of falling into the rat race mentality trap of heading straight to college after high school. Hell, I didn’t even know what I wanted to do with my life at that point. And even though I was piss ass poor and it was a struggle at times, each day presented a different challenge, a new awakening for me, and I felt so alive.

The experiences I’ve obtained from my journeys and struggles make me feel inconceivably blessed. No amount of money could ever replace that.

Am I not in a sense then one of the wealthiest people alive?

Wealth through Memories

When we leave this world, we won’t be packing up and taking all of our material possessions with us. We will depart this earth with our intellect and knowledge, and the thriving memories we keep alive in our thoughts and cherish in our hearts. Money should be used for experiences which allow each of us to access the deepest plateau we’re able to reach to embrace our passions; to obtain wisdom and spiritual growth, and to extend past our comfortable boundaries and dare to attempt any accomplishment our mind is set on achieving.

For me, this doesn’t necessarily mean working my arse off just to retire early on some fancy yacht to sip Coronas all day.

The Inherent Value of Money

Money itself has no inherent value. It’s a flimsy piece of green paper that may have passed through zillions of hands before it’s placed in our own. It’s ripped and faded and full of germs. It sparkles with the dew of sweat from people who’ve become brainwashed and locked into being slaves to the system. It’s a pursuit generated from a total ‘work’ world where many fail to take a moment to sit down, take a deep breath, and recognize the beauty surrounding them each moment of every day.

I sit and contemplate what I will do when I’m out of debt from my current loans. I plan to invest wisely, to live frugally, and to not complicate my life with unnecessary crap that has no depth or meaning for me. I enjoy giving money back where I can, to try to make a difference and touch other people and circumstances in the process. Ultimately, I can leave this world with the satisfaction of knowing I took the time to quietly contemplate my role in the scheme of reality. I’ve allowed myself the time for leisure to become receptive to discovering my greater purpose in life.

Stepping off the hamster wheel 

Through leisure, through stopping the cycle of demand from a constant work world, through opening up my heart and my mind in meditation and contemplation to rejoice in my blessings, I’ve been allowed an unexpected freedom. I’ve been given the freedom to question what I’ve observed and to become skeptical – and to demand better for myself.

Money itself has not necessarily given me the freedom to embark on a personal journey of self-discovery. I’ve been able to quietly absorb the madness of a work world that continues to grind away lives through jobs people despise but yet do for money; for necessity, for survival, and for ’stuff’. Through awareness, I’ve been given the opportunity to evaluate and embrace the nature of each of our stances in the universe and see through the illusion.

I’ve been given a deeper purpose.

Money, an interesting conundrum. It can be a powerful tool and ally when properly respected and used wisely. But money can only be utilized to a certain extent in bringing wealth and security. Slaving endlessly for money at a job we’re dissatisfied with can only bring us so far on our own paths to self-discovery.

What greater gift is given to us than our time? Yet each day billions sell their time at an incredible price for the hours they work at a job they hate, and fall deeper into the pitfall of neglecting their passions in the process. Why should I continue giving away one of my most valuable possessions, my time, when it detracts from my ability to discover my purpose of serving a greater good? And how can I stop a brainwashed society from needlessly sacrificing their time and making the same mistakes?

I’ve been given the freedom to step off the hamster wheel and embrace a different perspective. I’ve accumulated extensive debt due to ignorant past mistakes, which I admit does suck. But those mistakes have only aided in my spiritual growth and served as some of my greatest teachers. So have they really been mistakes, or unexpected blessings?

I am no longer disenchanted with one set perception. At least I am no longer a victim.

What about you?

~†~ Baby Steps are Key ~†~

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