… the HR Minion. Because even minions have opinions. And giggles.

If experiences are what matter, then what are you doing here?

Recently, I have been taking a lot more interest in my finances and trying to get them where I want them to be. The husband and I aren’t as secure as I would like and it limits our flexibility when it comes to certain things, such as the shower breaking (ugh!) and wanting to move to Seattle in the next 2 years. I know I’m not the only one blogging about this is issue lately, as Rachel from the newly renamed site ihatehr.com recently also shared her own challenges.

What has stood out to me the most from all the research I’ve been doing is that in the end, it is not the items that you buy that you get the most value from, it’s the experiences you have. You don’t get as much joy from your DVD collection as you would walking along the beach in Hawaii. And looking back on your life, which one are you more likely to remember fondly? Can you say epiphany moment? I think I get it now, and my focus towards shopping and money is changing.

So now on to the main point of this post: If experiences in life matter more than the things that you buy, why should you stay at a job that you hate simply because it provides you with money to buy things? And in the end, aren’t those negative experiences you have everyday what you will remember long after you forget about the things that you bought? Huh,*nudge nudge*, Huh… got you thinking, didn’t I?

I’m not saying quit your job, sell all your possessions, and join a commune. I’m certainly not advocating a hippie lifestyle here (though if you are interested, the book Your Money or Your Life is a good financial book for those who want a hippie lifestyle). However, I do know several people who really don’t like what they are doing, but can’t seem to let go and find something else. Money is important because it provides you with a livelihood and security, but you do not have to give up positive life experiences to get it. You can have both if you are willing to make changes not only to your career but to how you deal with the money you have. What are you waiting for?

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

August 12th, 2008 Shauna Posted in HR

2 Responses | Add your Own

  • 1 Ron Ulrici :
    August 13th, 2008 saat: 5:06 am

    I am a collector and actually enjoy the experience of going through my huge DVD, CD, Vinyl and Tape collection, but spending over 30 years in HR has really been an experience!

  • 2 HR Minion :
    August 13th, 2008 saat: 5:58 am

    Ron – I understand, I’m a collector too! I’m trying to get past my impulse to acquire everything I’m interested in though. I think collecting can be fun (you get a nice rush from it for sure)but I’m learning that I need to be more discerning when I buy things.

    Do I really need to buy all the manga by this particular artist, even if I don’t like the story? Do I really need to have 30 cell phone charms? At what point does it stop being collecting and becomes reflex buying? That’s where I’m at now. In the end, I don’t want to be defined by my stuff.

    Thanks for the comment, I agree being in HR is quite an experience itself. 🙂