Wants and Needs: Live Happier

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WHY I LOVE WANTS AND NEEDS

Kris’ Wants, Needs, and Thanks.

I’ve got to admit, when I first started using Wants & Needs, my life didn’t look very balanced. The Wants and Needs app truly put my Life in Perspective. Let me tell you about my journey, Why I Love Wants and Needs, and how I use the app.

When I first started using the app Wants and Needs, I spent way too much time sitting around thinking of all the things I wanted. I would scroll through my Wants list and think about all the material things I wanted, what I would buy first, and how I would balance my budget to afford them. I was missing the whole point of the app. But when I started comparing my Wants and Thanks, I quickly realized that the app was actually revealing the state my mind was in. I wanted too many material things and didn’t appreciate the blessings that I already had.

Throughout the day, I would try to think of ways I could use the app. I would be out enjoying the day with my friends and family and be thinking of what I could be thankful for so I could put a new entry in my Thanks list. Using the app this way started to become tedious and a hassle. I quickly learned a new way to use Wants and Needs.

Today, my lists are looking a lot more balanced. By balanced, I don’t mean everything is even. I mean I have more gratitude than greed. I realized there aren’t many things in my life that I actually need; I have more than I need already. My Wants are about 50% less than my Thanks and my Needs are about 80% less than my Thanks.

Instead of using Wants and Needs throughout the day, I am on more of a schedule. I will tell you about that at the end of this post. Right now, I want to show you how I use each list (Wants, Needs, and Thanks) and share some entries from my personal lists.

Wants

I use the Wants list more like a list of goals and a bucket list. Instead of listing material things that I don’t need, I list personal goals, experiences I would like to have, and memories I want to make.

Here are a few examples:
Learn Italian – I’ve always wanted to learn another language.
Travel to New Places – It’s exciting to see new things.
Better Kicks – I need to kick faster, stronger, and higher.
Christmas in Germany – One day!

These are personal goals I have made and things I would love to do in the future. I try to restrict the material things and only add things that will improve my life or create lasting memories. Some of these things I can work towards daily. Some are plans for the distant future. Some goals are small, some big.

Needs

I try to limit the Needs to things of most importance. Things that I absolutely need. Not material things, not wants.

A few examples:
Stretch Everyday – No excuses!
Eat more balanced – Eating unbalanced makes me feel blah.
Read My Bible More – I need my daily bread.
Save Money – The future will come faster than I think.

My Needs are aren’t just obvious things like food and water (things I already have and can be added to my Thanks list). The can be things related to health (physical and spiritual), finances, productivity, education, etc.

Thanks

Thanks can be anything and everything. I haven’t set any limits for myself here. I put anything I can think of in this list. You can never have too much gratitude.

Examples:
The Nutcracker – Atlanta Ballet at the Fox
Wings!!! – Mild teriyaki wings are amazing!
Games with my family – I won Monopoly!
Finals are over – I can breathe!
Parks and Rec with Madison – I love the time we spend together laughing and watching Parks and Recreation!

You would be surprised at all the different types of food on my list. Bacon, cinnamon rolls, wings, bagels, and who knows what else. It’s the little things in life that count. I have simple things like green lights and my bed. But I also have amazing memories that I will never forget: Christmas with my family, the group of friends I workout with, and countless more.

My Schedule

Like I said earlier, thinking of reasons to use Wants and Needs throughout the day wasn’t working for me. So, I decided to set a schedule. Here’s what I do now…every night and every morning, I try to reflect on the day. I think of something that happened that day that I am grateful for and add it to my Thanks list. Simple as that. It takes about a minute but it puts me in a much better mood (if I wasn’t already in a good mood).

I also try to take some time (especially in the morning) to look at my Wants and think about my goals. I ask myself, “how did/will I work towards my goals today?” I look at my Needs the same way. I don’t look at my Thanks everyday. I look at them when I’m feeling down or if I’m not feeling as appreciative as I should. On occasion I will look at them just for the sake of reflecting on the memories. It is always nice to look back and think of the memories I have made and the things I was thankful for months ago. Some things can continue to be blessings over and over.

The picture at the top of this post is a current screenshot of my Wants, Needs and Thanks.

Conclusion

The more I use Wants and Needs, the more I love it. Everyone will find their own unique way of using this app. But if you haven’t tried Wants and Needs yet, you’re missing out. No matter who you are, Wants and Needs can make a difference in your life.

With gratitude,
Kristopher Schmetzer