Witt Lowry Quote on Happiness and Why You Need To Free Yourself From Materialism

“If you’re not happy, you’re forever in debt.”

Witt Lowry, Debt

Beyond the Quote (228/365)

Debt is something, typically money, that’s owed. When you borrow $20 from your friend, you’re in debt to them. Until you pay them back, you will have that debt weighing on your shoulders. That’s why repaying a debt is such a gratifying, lightening feeling. You’re lightening the worry of your load. But, what about the debts that we imaginarily create in our minds? Sounds ridiculous, right? But, think about it.

When we tell ourselves that we must have those $200 pair of shoes, and that we won’t settle until we have them—how is that any different than borrowing $200 from a friend? The only difference is that instead of borrowing the money from someone else, we’re projecting that money onto our future selves. And that same weight on our shoulders is created.

Here’s what Witt is suggesting in that line above: If you’re not happy (because you’re constantly chasing the next material item under the guise that it will make you happy) then you’re going to live forever in debt (forever indebted to your future “must haves”). And that projection is as real of a debt as the $20 you borrowed from your friend.

The good news is that you can change projected debt with a shift in perspective. Monetary debt isn’t so easy to change. But, assuming you were well intentioned when you borrowed what money you did and you were doing it to invest in your future, then it shouldn’t affect your happiness. Sure, it will still weigh on your shoulders like any other debt would, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still smile! It’s similar to how you might understand stress versus eustress.

Stress, as we all know, is the anxiety and pressure that harms the experiencer. Eustress, on the other hand, is the type of stress that is interpreted as being beneficial for the experiencer. Being overworked is stressful; working overtime on something you’re passionate about is a type of eustress. Debt from gambling is stressful; Debt from education (assuming it’s justified and well thought out) is a type of eustress. Debt from shopping sprees is stressful; Debt from buying a home (again, assuming it’s within the buyer’s means and well thought out) is a type of eustress.

This type of eustress allows a person an opportunity to live in a better, more optimal way. It challenges them to live more in alignment with their aptitude’s, interests, and potential and let’s them skip the incredibly hard feat of having to save enough money first—rather than getting the education or opportunity first and paying back later. Without debt, we would have incredible restrictions on the opportunities at our disposal and would likely be stuck working for 20-30 years before even being able to think about going to some colleges or buying a home.

The problem, however, is that many people spend their debt—their “imaginary” money—superfluously and with little regard. And then, after it has been spent, they’re stuck having to pay back debt that was way beyond their means. This is true for college students who go to prestigious colleges with no aim. It’s also true for home buyers who take on a bigger mortgage than they can afford. And you’ll also find this happening with people who use their credit cards like there’s no limit.

Let’s put it like this: Wanting a Lamborghini and actually purchasing a Lamborghini are two very different situations. Both, however, produce that same feeling of debt. On the one hand, having to repay a Lamborghini in full can take a lifetime and can produce an incredible amount of stress, anxiety, and weight. Changing your mind about Lamborghini’s and choosing to invest your time, energy, and effort into something else, fixes your imagined debt in a snap. So long as you mean it. And when you do—when you free yourself of any imaginary, future debt—how could you not be happy? The gaps between where you are now and where you projected yourself to be are vanished. You are just present. You’re free of desire. You’re content. You’re… happy.

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