Feel The Wave

Where you begin your personal growth journey.

Tag: Intentional living

  • The Diderot Effect: Why One Purchase Leads to Many

    What Is the Diderot Effect?

    The Diderot Effect describes a pattern where someone buys items they never intended to purchase, simply because a new item feels like it requires accessories or complementary pieces to feel complete.

    For example, if a dishwasher stops working, someone may decide to buy a new one. Once it’s installed, they might suddenly notice that the refrigerator and stove no longer “match” the new appliance. And voilà—before they know it, they also have a new refrigerator and stove.

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    How It Shows Up in Everyday Life

    The effect is named after the French philosopher Denis Diderot, who experienced this phenomenon firsthand after receiving an expensive gown.

    When he noticed that the elegance of the gown clashed with his modest possessions, he felt compelled to upgrade the rest of his home. He purchased an expensive writing desk and replaced his straw chair with a leather one. What began as a single gift quietly transformed into a series of costly upgrades.

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    Why We Fall Into the Trap

    We are often focused on upgrading and adding, rarely on removing—unless it’s to replace something with a newer version.

    We were once content with what we had, but the moment something new appears, it suddenly feels like we need the entire set. The old no longer feels compatible with the new. It feels out of place. Incomplete.

    Our minds convince us that harmony comes from having everything match, even when nothing was actually broken to begin with.

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    A More Intentional Approach

    Before buying something new, ask yourself whether you truly need it. And if you do, ask the same question about its accessories.

    We don’t need to buy everything at once. We can buy the item and live with it for a few weeks before deciding anything else. The old and the new can coexist—our minds simply try to convince us otherwise.

    The ego is powerful. It nudges us toward impulse purchases and whispers that completeness is just one more item away. Sit with the decision. Give it time. More often than not, we’ll realize we don’t need it after all.

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    When the New Becomes Old

    Remember that after a few weeks, the new appliance, furniture, or car will no longer feel new. And once that happens, everything around it will feel aligned again.

    What once stood out will simply blend in—without needing to replace everything else.

    Take care.

  • Think of the Unthinkable: Why Facing Hard Truths Makes Life Better

    People tend to take action on hard or complicated tasks only when urgency forces them to. When we believe we still have time, we push things to tomorrow. We procrastinate.

    That’s not ideal, and we all know it. Tomorrow is never guaranteed. So how can we create the urgency we need to take action today? We must think of the unthinkable. If we died tomorrow, would we be satisfied with the life we lived? Could we have done more? This isn’t morbid — it’s purposeful.

    This mindset applies to every area of our lives — our health, our finances, our relationships, and our daily routines. What are we doing to live with intention and get better each day instead of simply getting by?

    Leadership requires the same mindset. Sometimes we need to let people go so they can grow. We must appreciate the time we have with them and recognize it won’t last forever. This isn’t unthinkable — it’s inevitable — and remembering this helps us cherish what we have.

    The same is true for parents whose children leave home for school or move out permanently. A parent who never processed the idea of their child growing up may struggle deeply when the moment arrives. But a parent who appreciated each stage of their child’s life has already thought of the unthinkable. They’ve prepared themselves emotionally in their own way.

    These moments will happen to all of us. We must prepare for them. Instead of pretending they won’t happen — or never thinking about them at all — we need to stay present. We need to be grateful for the opportunities, the people, and the moments we currently have.

    Take care.

  • The Quiet Power of Early Mornings

    The Quiet Power of Early Mornings

    I am someone who wakes up early. “Early” is subjective, but on weekdays I wake up at 5:30 a.m. to work out, do yoga, run, or meditate—sometimes a combination of these. On weekends, I usually wake up between 6:00 and 7:00 a.m.

    Most days, my wife and kids are still sleeping for at least another hour. This is my alone time—my me time. It’s when I get personal work done, when no one interrupts me, and I can sit with my thoughts in complete quiet. It’s liberating to have time to myself. To do what I want. To simply be me.

    I love having this time to get to know myself. It sets the tone for the entire day. By the time everyone else wakes up, I already feel accomplished. Because of that, the rest of the day feels lighter and less stressful—I’ve already invested in myself.

    I notice the difference in how I show up for my family. I have more patience with my wife and kids. I’m more loving, more energized, and more present. I appreciate the smaller things in life: my kids being silly, my wife’s smile, the smell of coffee or dinner, and the first snowfall.

    I wake up early and work on myself because it works for me. I’ve tried finding personal time at other points in the day, but I wasn’t consistent. While I could carve out an hour or two in the afternoon or evening, I would feel guilty not helping with the kids. That guilt would follow me into my personal time and take away from its purpose.

    So I do what works best for me—and that is waking up early.

    Take care.