: Ownership can provide a sense of security and control over our environment, often enhancing our mood and motivation. When Possessions Start to "Possess" Us
Psychologists and anthropologists have long noted that we project our sense of self onto everything we own. Jean-Paul Sartre once observed that we wish to possess things specifically to enlarge our sense of self, using them as a "gallery" of who we are. Possessions
: Our collections—whether of stamps, art, or even vintage Pez dispensers—signal our interests and status to both ourselves and others. : Ownership can provide a sense of security
Every object in your home tells a story, though not always the one you intended. From the kitschy souvenir on the shelf to the stack of books you haven't opened in years, our possessions are rarely just "things." Instead, they are an . The Mirror of the Self : Our collections—whether of stamps, art, or even