Reading in the Mountains

I normally just discuss books on my blog, but there was a time when I went deeper—trying to get to know you guys, form a connection, and honestly, get to know myself a little better too. Those posts are long archived now, but lately I’ve felt this need to talk about something different: overconsumption.

If you’re anything like me, you spend time scrolling through TikTok, Instagram, and probably YouTube too, searching for the next best thing. The best new books. The best makeup. The best phone. The best app. The best notebook (even though I somehow always end up choosing a Moleskine anyway).

There are always endless options, endless recommendations, endless “must-haves.” And somehow, despite having more choices than ever, nothing feels quite right. There’s always something newer, better, prettier, more aesthetic waiting around the corner.

At some point, the search itself becomes addictive.

And honestly? It’s chaos.

I don’t even know who to trust anymore. And even when I do trust someone’s opinion, there’s no guarantee I’ll actually like what they recommend. You don’t want to know how many products are sitting around my house after being hyped online only to turn out completely mid.

Meanwhile, I keep returning to the same holy grails over and over again. The same Sephora favorites. Kerastase. Moleskine notebooks. Korean skincare. The things that have already proven themselves.

And don’t even get me started on books.

If I love a book on Kindle, I’ll often buy the hardcover too. I’ve rehomed so many books over the years because I ended up not liking them as much as I thought I would. Right now I’m using the green Kindle, but before that I had the 2024 Paperwhite. Then I convinced myself I wanted the color version. Now I’m stuck wondering what I actually want anymore.

Sometimes it feels like I’m constantly chasing the “perfect” version of something instead of simply enjoying what I already have.

Am I the only one feeling this way?

Have you noticed this happening to you too? Do you find yourself caught in the cycle of researching, comparing, buying, and then immediately looking for the next thing?

I’m genuinely curious to hear your thoughts.