Epictetus said wealth isn't having many possessions but having few wants. It sounds backwards in a world that sells us endless more, yet think about it: every craving is a small ache, a sense that you're missing something. Trim the cravings and the aches fade, and what you already have starts to feel like plenty. This isn't about giving everything up or pretending you want nothing. It's about noticing how many of your wants were planted by ads, comparison, restlessness, rather than real need. You can put a few of them down. Each one you release is a little weight off, a little more peace. Having less to want is its own quiet kind of rich.

Inspired by the old idea of voluntary discomfort. Written by Ugo Charles.