Disconnect from Hoarding

Why are we doing this hoarding thing right now? Because we are humans and we all manage fear and anxiety differently based on our temperament and our past experiences.

We don’t like to feel anxious. As humans, we experience this the same way as we do physical pain. Our brain processes it the same way. During this pandemic, there is a possibility of great loss for the world. For many loss is really, really scary. They can’t control the scary possibilities, but the thing they can control is buying lots of toilet paper to feel safe and secure. They are thinking, no loss there. I’ve got complete control over that one little part of my life and it relieves my fear and anxiety over the bigger fear of loss.

We want to feel certainty and let’s face it, these are uncertain times. No certainty here and day to day the ground beneath our feet shifts, it seems. And so, some of us hoard. That’s how we deal with this.

We worry, how can I pay my bills, how can I stay healthy, how can I keep my family healthy and to manage this worry we rush to the nearest grocery and buy up all the things we think we will most need during this pandemic. When we become fearful, we go and look at our stash and we say, as long as I have this, I will be ok. A false sense of security? Yes. But it works if your brain is wired that way. If you are wired for scarcity rather than abundance.

We want to feel in control. This is a human need, but it is another false security. We can’t control anything except what we think about things.

We must realize there is enough, and we don’t need to hoard. The things we are hoarding, like toilet paper, they are not even necessary to live. We can find other ways to survive without toilet paper. Lots of options. Interesting how we walk by the food, a necessity to go to the toilet paper aisle.

Our thoughts control our feelings so when we feel scared and we are moved to hoard, we can remember that our thoughts control our feelings, our feelings control our actions. If we simply change our perspective from one of scarcity to one of abundance, we can overcome the need to hoard. We can manage it all through our thoughts.

Remember what my mother always says, this too shall pass. We have lived through many world traumas and we always return to normal. Things always go back to ok. It all passes. We have enough and all we need.

Hopefully, you can shift to a healthier thought process, we are all in this together. We must not only think of ourselves but also think of our fellow man. Our overbuying leaves them without and for no reason other than we are self -absorbed. Those stacks of toilet paper in your closet, who is doing without so you can have them?

We all need certainty. Give yourself certainty by remembering , this too shall pass. That is your certainty.