There is no greater poverty than that which lives in the mind. That which leads you to feel inferior and to remain inactive and timid. In these conditions, you do not draw on your potential, but rather you let yourself be carried away like a leaf in the wind. That is why it is important to know that there are habits that impoverish your mind and that must be eradicated.
The habits that impoverish your mind have to do with attitudes that you assume, often automatically or without being aware of them. They lead you to join a herd, which ultimately gives you nothing more than a weak feeling of security.
“ The poor are those who are so poor that they do not know how to “define” what a poor person is .”
-Eusebio Gomez Navarro-
A poor mind does not see beyond appearances. Nor does it commit to a life project that invites it to grow and feel better. It builds mediocre relationships with others and, finally, exists without really living. To help you take note, here are five of those habits that impoverish your mind.
1. Self-pity, one of the habits that impoverish your mind
If there is anything that weakens the mind, it is assuming that one is existentially poor. This is mainly reflected in victimhood and self-pity behaviors, which often lead to justifying inaction or even destructive actions.
If you feel poor, you already are. But it doesn’t stop there. This self-pitying attitude also leads you to impoverish your relationships with others and to the conviction that you deserve little in life, so you resign yourself to anything. In addition, it is very difficult to deal with someone who is constantly complaining and mired in a grey life.
2. Obsessive saving
Saving excessively is a way of constantly declaring yourself poor. It is also one of the habits that impoverish your mind. Of course, saving is a great virtue, but in excess, it becomes an attitude that only feeds fears and pettiness.
We are not talking here about people who are responsible with their finances and who like to have a financial cushion for eventualities or to buy something they want later. We are talking about those who earn enough and still haggle over cents in any market. Those who do not spend even what is necessary, for fear of going bankrupt, even though that is not a real risk.
3. Emphasis on the material
People who put too much emphasis on material things are very similar to compulsive savers. This habit of measuring everything in terms of money is one of the habits that impoverishes our minds most sharply.
If you ask them, they will tell you that they are not materialistic. But if you look at the way they act, you will notice something else. Their worries always have to do with money. They are very worried about the amount of their salary and that of others. Their dreams are associated with buying more or acquiring a certain good. Outside of that logic, they do not have much to say.
4. Spending more than you earn
Although it may not seem like it, the spender is very similar to the compulsive saver and the materialist. This type of person also has money and spending in his sights almost exclusively. He takes great pleasure in spending, even if it means a problem for his finances.
Spending more than you earn is another habit that impoverishes your mind. This is because it introduces dynamics into your life in which money ends up playing a leading role. Worries begin to focus on debts, offers, discounts, etc.
5. Doing what we don’t like
Those who dedicate themselves to doing what they do not like are wasting their lives. They forget that we only have one chance on earth and that it is up to us to take advantage of it. In this type of attitude, there is a kind of “waiting” for “something to come along” that will take us out of the misery that comes with working at something we do not like.
Work is an essential part of life. It is in the workplace that we spend most of our time. So giving up doing what we like is giving up on life and happiness. It is a form of self-punishment.
All of these habits, and others like creating conflict over everything or maintaining relationships steeped in hate, are habits that impoverish your mind. They lead you to see life from a very narrow and depressing perspective. Before you know it, they can lead you to bitterness, apathy, or a lack of meaning.