The last few weekends I’ve traveled with my husband, and if you’re like me, when you travel, you pick up and read lots of magazines.

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I do love to read magazines to get ideas, be inspired, dream … see what’s “new.”

As long as I don’t get caught up in the “wants.”

We walk into Pier 1 or Home Goods or TJ Maxx … it’s fun to browse, but do the “wants” come over you?

They do me.

Just one more set of dishes, cloth napkins, new picture on the wall, outdoor furniture, new pillows … another white bowl … beautiful table cloths … runners …

The list goes on and on for me.

“You are in the prison cell of “wants” if you feel better when you have more and worse when you have less,” says Max Lucado (inspirational writer).

“If your happiness comes from something you deposit, drive, drink or digest, then face it–you are in prison, the prison of want.”

Many times I’ve filled my basket, only to remove most of what I’ve added because I ask myself, “Do I really need this?”

Learning to be content. I wrote about it, here.

Discontentment is really an ugly way to live.

I wish learning to be content was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but it seems to be a lesson that we learn over and over again.

What will I have from being content and not always “wanting more?”A deeper marriage, more time with the family, valuing “who’s coming for dinner” over “how it all looks when they come for dinner,” joy and peace. And self-respect when I learn to say no.

It just feels good to have some sort of self-discipline.

Gratitude.

Contentment.

Do you have a hard time saying no to your wants, or how do you keep them under control?