Seven months ago I began a journey of practicing mindfulness every day and we've reached day 233. Yesterday, I talked about enduring the storms we encounter in life. Today is a new day.
Some of the poorest people are also some of the happiest. It's not riches that make us happy, it's our frame of mind. I've met many homeless people who don't see the need for anything other than food, some clothes to keep us warm, and good people to spend time with. It's nice to have things, sure, but there's always something better, so as soon as we start wanting more, it's possible that we'll want something else, and the cycle will continue. Learning to be complacent with what we have and not see things as a necessity is important. It's about being grateful.
I'm by no means poor, but I'm also not swimming in cash, either. Even if I were, that's not what's important. I have enough to live comfortably. There are many things I could do to improve my lifestyle when I think about it. I would love to have my own gym. I'd love to live in an apartment with more rooms so I can dedicate a room to art, sleep, and hanging out. I'd love to have more nice clothes to express myself in. There are so many things I could want, but at the end of the day, if I'm not happy with what I have now, who's to say I'd be content once I have all of those things? Who knows what I'd want next. It's like our goals: once we reach them, we can then aim higher and higher until we've reached our limit. Once we reach them, we push them and continue on toward infinity.
There's nothing wrong with wanting to reach new heights, but I think balancing our priorities is necessary. To keep myself in check, instead of focusing on what I lack, I change my focus to reminding myself of what I already have. I'm not dependent on my paycheck every month, I have a roof over my head, I have enough food to keep from starving, and I have luxuries like a smartphone, internet, a piano to practice on, and art supplies to work on my art. I have family that love me, I have friends to share some good times with. I have a job that provides me with the opportunity to help others, and those people are eagerly willing to learn. I already have everything I need in order to live happily. Seeing this has helped me to focus on what's really important to me.
We are complete as we are. We are inherently rich and gifted. It's what we do with those gifts is what's important, not the gifts themselves. To one person a paperclip might only be for holding stacks of papers together. To another, it might be something of great value with an abundance of uses. Instead of worrying about the new smartphone, tablet, game system, etc., I can use that time to think about how I can utilize what things I already have to further elevate myself and achieve my goals.
Peace
"They are not poor that have little, but they that desire much. The richest man, whatever his lot, is the one who's content with his lot." - Dutch ProverbI was talking with an old friend last night about our hometown and how the area has become a lot more ghetto recently. In high school I got my first part-time job working at a CD/DVD store in the local mall and the place is infamous for having the occasional shooting, stabbing, drug deal, etc. Not the best picture for a family-friendly weekend. As we kept talking it reminded me of how there's so much focus on materialistic wealth that people become too caught up in having the latest and greatest, which ends up twisting their values in a way that only hurts them.
Some of the poorest people are also some of the happiest. It's not riches that make us happy, it's our frame of mind. I've met many homeless people who don't see the need for anything other than food, some clothes to keep us warm, and good people to spend time with. It's nice to have things, sure, but there's always something better, so as soon as we start wanting more, it's possible that we'll want something else, and the cycle will continue. Learning to be complacent with what we have and not see things as a necessity is important. It's about being grateful.
I'm by no means poor, but I'm also not swimming in cash, either. Even if I were, that's not what's important. I have enough to live comfortably. There are many things I could do to improve my lifestyle when I think about it. I would love to have my own gym. I'd love to live in an apartment with more rooms so I can dedicate a room to art, sleep, and hanging out. I'd love to have more nice clothes to express myself in. There are so many things I could want, but at the end of the day, if I'm not happy with what I have now, who's to say I'd be content once I have all of those things? Who knows what I'd want next. It's like our goals: once we reach them, we can then aim higher and higher until we've reached our limit. Once we reach them, we push them and continue on toward infinity.
There's nothing wrong with wanting to reach new heights, but I think balancing our priorities is necessary. To keep myself in check, instead of focusing on what I lack, I change my focus to reminding myself of what I already have. I'm not dependent on my paycheck every month, I have a roof over my head, I have enough food to keep from starving, and I have luxuries like a smartphone, internet, a piano to practice on, and art supplies to work on my art. I have family that love me, I have friends to share some good times with. I have a job that provides me with the opportunity to help others, and those people are eagerly willing to learn. I already have everything I need in order to live happily. Seeing this has helped me to focus on what's really important to me.
We are complete as we are. We are inherently rich and gifted. It's what we do with those gifts is what's important, not the gifts themselves. To one person a paperclip might only be for holding stacks of papers together. To another, it might be something of great value with an abundance of uses. Instead of worrying about the new smartphone, tablet, game system, etc., I can use that time to think about how I can utilize what things I already have to further elevate myself and achieve my goals.
Peace
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| It doesn't take much to make us happy. Sometimes simple is all we need to have abundance. |
What do you have that already makes you rich?
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