The thing is, most of the stuff we westerners have does not make us any happier. The straw will not make you happier. The new smartphone will not make you happi

The thing is, most of the stuff we westerners have does not make us any happier. The straw will not make you happier. The new smartphone will not make you happier. Flying around the world looking at few touristy things will not make you happier. A new car will not make you happier, even if it has a slab of lithium mined from the salt flats of Bolivia or god knows where. Stop buying stuff. Stop doing stuff. Just stop. Stop mowing your lawn. Go outside and watch the birds. Bust up some concrete and plant a tree. You probably have some right in front of your house. If you're lucky enough to have a patch of green space, fill it with food producing plants and flowers for the pollinators. Have one child and lavish more attention on him/her than any family of more than one kid can. None of this stuff is a sacrifice, let alone self punishment, though you are likely surrounded by people who are convinced otherwise. Hunger makes food taste awesome, and riding your bicycle through miserable weather makes sunny days feel like heaven on earth.