Climbing Maslow's Mountain of Needs: Have you reached the top?

              

Thsi year, my friends managed to convince this bookworm to load up some gear and climb Mount Snowdon in Wales, Snowdonia. Alhamdulillah (Praise to Allah), I am SO glad that I did :) 

Buuuuuuut...Mountains don't always have to be 'literal.' It can be a concept also. Here is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: 

This definitely supports my theory on money. For example, when our ‘two layers’ are met, we start to concentrate on luxuries, then fine-tuning other aspects of our lives, and then reaching the top of the peak in order to feel very proud of climbing this mountain.  You’ve reached the peak and then there’s nothing that you feel can enrich your life. Wrong. Something will always be able to enrich your life further. 

Think about me next time you purchase a top: WHY are you buying it? Because you NEED it, or because you WANT it? There’s a difference. They say ‘money can’t bring you happiness.’ Well...yes, AND No.  

                              

Yes: Because you need Money in order to survive. If you didn’t have money, you wouldn’t be able to afford the basics that you need in order to meet your basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter. All these assets contribute to your well-being and health; mental AND physical, which in turn allow you to develop further, become more productive and hence flourish as an individual. It has a ‘Domino effect’.

Which leads me perfectly onto...

NO: Et voila! So! Now that I’ve mastered the reason why money DOES buy happiness, let me explain the flip-side. So I think that when you reach a certain level when your needs are being met, anything additional is a ‘luxury.’ Think about it logically. Do you REALLY need that extra jacket just because it has the correct colour trimming on it to match our shoes? No. You don’t NEED it. You WANT it. If you NEEDEd it, you absolutely wouldn’t be able to walk out of the house without it. You could do with the Other Brown Jacket you have just because it too, also looks very smart with your “OOTD” (Outfit Of The Day.) I am personally guilty of this: if I see a pair of heels, I straight away start visualising which scarf and dress it can be colour-co-ordinated with. But that’s because I like colour-co-ordination and the creative side of it, as opposed to buying it for the ‘All Eyes On Me’ aspect.

Also, as a Muslim, the Prophet S.A.W advised us to ‘live within your means’, so I would never do anything pathetic and irresponsible like max out credit cards (I don’t even have one because I don’t believe in spending money you don’t have) in order to feed my heel fetish. If I REALLY am pining after a pair of heels (as you do :P), I’ll wait for a Sale and get them £10 cheaper. That way, I’ve got what I wanted at a discounted rate (yes, I’m quite the Asian), and then that other £10 I’ve saved...can go towards another pair of heels (Shoe-laa laa!), or some accessories. Hahhaha!!!  Win-win situation. If the heels aren’t in the Sale, then forget it. Getting it was a bonus, and NOT a need. What have you lost? Nothing.

So next time you’re out shopping, ask yourself, am I buying this because I NEED it or WANT it? If you can do without it, seriously, just leave it. Put that money toward an investment, like a driving lesson, or paying off some Student Loans, or a Rainy Day.

You all embark on a journey. There will be hurdles, there will be struggles. Chin up, keep on moving upwards. And enjoy the lovely view ALONG the way as well as when you reach the peak :) 

Here's wishing you all reach your full potentials in the near future, whereEVER you are on your journey. Having a sip of water, taking a rest, or simply climbing quietly. Keep going. you got this. *thumbs up*