Consider the expiration dates you encounter daily. You know, the shelf-life of a product. Think about the items that clutter your garage; the excess currently piled up in your basement.

Consumption has its own expiration date.

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Usually visible on a label, you can easily spot the dates. And perhaps only the items that will ‘go bad’ may enter your mind. Why? Because it feels right; normal. Saying the milk went bad is far easier, far more common, than acknowledging the end of a spare coffee table or painting. But the end of a piece of furniture doesn’t mean it suddenly caught fire. Instead, the expiration dates of these items pertain to its usage.

If you’re not using it, why keep it? If it holds no sentimental value, why keep it in storage?

Our society is driven by consumerism. We get lost in it, opening up credit card after credit card, accepting offers and coupons to purchase more than we need. And yet, it it’s tough to stray from. It’s everywhere. It lives in the products we need to survive; the food we consume; the gas most of us require for our daily transit. Ignoring these products can be more difficult than catching a photograph in the right lighting.

Sure, some of this stuff is necessary. But is it all? Not in the least.

More than half the purchases you make have expiration dates. Most will actually expire quicker than you realize. And no, this isn’t just about food.

Think about that dress you bought on a whim because it was on sale and you felt you needed it. Consider the extras you purchase when you gather your groceries for the week. How many items do you buy that aren’t on your original list? Think about the nights you went out for dinner instead of cooking in. Rather than taking the time to make that pot of pasta, you went out because your workday ended later than expected.

Expiration Dates Are Worth Recognizing

We purchase so much. The amount of products we buy with short shelf lives is truly extraordinary. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are plenty of purchases whose expiration dates far outweigh the cost; items that will have a continued use. There are many items worth investing in that will prove worthwhile long-term.

If straying from consumerism feels tough, you can always start small.

Try chasing experiences; solid occurrences that make you forget yourself and, perhaps, the world – if only for a moment. For experiences, no matter how big or small, are rich with significance. These are the moments that help mold our lives. And while experiences end, their expiration dates are irrelevant. Because an experience will always have a lasting influence on your growth. The good, bad, and ugly will continually inspire your path moving forward.

But that extra dress you bought on a whim? It will never provide nearly as much.

So search for the moments that help take your journey to the next level. Don’t get caught up in consumerism. Remember – there are more things you own than groceries that carry expiration dates.