We all fall into this trap sometimes. “If only I had this thing, I’d have enough.” “When this happens, we’ll be happy.” Motivation to work towards future rewards is a good thing, but pinning happiness on those future rewards is not.
Pictures: Charles Henry/Flickr
The folks at The Simple Dollar point out that people often get wrapped up in visualising the things they want to the point that it starts costing them time, money and the happiness they’re after.
It also places far too much expectation on a single life change, something that virtually no change could possibly live up to. If you truly believe that one change can transform your life from steady unhappiness to steady happiness, then this change is going to disappoint you. That new computer isn’t going to change your life. Neither does that romance that you imagine. These things won’t transform your life.
Instead, they recommend looking at the things in your life that already make you feel good. When we’re always looking to the next chapter, we tend to devalue those things. Just remember that happiness is an attitude. You can carry it with you no matter what you have.
“If Only I Had This Thing, I Would Be Happy” [The Simple Dollar]
Comments
2 responses to “Stop Waiting For That One Thing To Make You Happy”
Good advice… Common Dog F@, but good advice non the less for those 2 or 3 folk who have never heard this before.
The trick is to pursue those ultimate things in a way that gets you at least exposure to the chance to get other things. I started something simple 6 months ago. Before I knew what was happening, I was having more fun than I’d had in DECADES. If I looked back 6 months, today, I never would have believed that I would have had all of those experiences in the past 6 months. TOTALLY a different thing than what I set out to do, and totally more fun.