Recently, I’ve caught myself and others, almost looking for problems. It’s kind of comical. We refuse to be content with whatever we have or where we’re at. We only focus on that which we lack or we change our minds to no longer like what we have.
“The main floor is perfect! Now we just need to fix up the basement.”
“If I just made a bit more money…” or “I wish my employer offered better benefits.”
“Once we get new curtains & a rug then the living room will look so much better!”
Now, there may be some truth to these statements, but when will it end? Answer: it doesn’t.
Basically, I’m tired of chasing, and tired of seeing others constantly chasing things too. Nothing will ever be perfect, and you’ll be chasing that false idea until the day you die, wasting time & money. When instead, you can make the best of what you have. Take advantage of the benefits your company does offer or, if it’s really not working for you and you dislike your job, try to find a new one! Start applying! In the words of Jim Rohn, “If you don’t like where you are, move. You are not a tree.”
More often than not, when it comes to the home, people have too much stuff, and rather than buying new stuff, they should declutter and maybe refinish & rearrange what they already have. I guarantee your space will look and feel 100x better without you spending any money on anything new or adding anything to your home. Simply work with what you’ve got.
Will getting new curtains and a rug for my living room majorly change my life for the better? No. Do my curtains and rug still function as intended? Yes. So why waste the money & time actively searching for new, nice ones? Because marketing, social media, other people, etc. make us feel like we need them, like we will feel so much better once we have them. The truth is that it will be exciting for a moment, then we will quickly adjust to our new environment, humans have a knack for adapting to change quickly, then we’ll be wanting something else. Now, if I happen to come across these items that will work perfect for cheap at a garage sale or thrift store, sure, but I’m tired of going out of my way for things I don’t need, I’m talking groceries, shampoo, deodorant, etc.
The same can be said for “figuring out your career”. Almost everyone I know, including many of those who are older workers, in their 50s, have had many “careers” or many jobs they thought they would be at until retirement. Life has other plans, and it’s okay to change your mind. It’s okay to stay at a job where you’re “just” a cashier, or teller, or sandwich maker, or whatever. If your bills are paid, plus some extra money, and you don’t hate or dislike your job, why try to fix what isn’t broken?
I, and many other 20-somethings, feel such great pressure to find the perfect career or the perfect major, when it simply may not exist for us. And even if we do, what is “perfect” for us now may not be 10 years from now and that’s okay.
For example, I’ve realized, I enjoy my current job right now, which is part time delivery driving (hopeing to work up to 30+ hours eventually), I’m even making MORE money per hour on average than I was at my old, higher stress desk job that had a better title. I have flexibility, shorter hours, get to be outside, and have coworkers again that I like. So, if I’m happy, making good money, get some free/cheap food, have flexibility, get half of the money I make in cash right away, like my coworkers, etc. Why am I still trying to fix what isn’t broken? Because the grass always seems greener on the other side. Well, I went to the other side and now I’m back realizing I was already on a green lawn. Why am I still feeling like I should find a more noble pursuit? Because society, businesses/marketing, peers, etc. want us to feel discontent to either join them in their misery (rat race lifestyle) or give them our money.
When in reality, a human’s default state is peace & contentment, things come up that disturb that every now & then, but we return to that state. We think and genuinely believe though, that our default state is unhappy/discontent, and that we need to seek out happiness, joy, fulfillment, when really we just need to be. It is already who we are, once we pause and stop chasing.
While “on the pursuit of happiness” you by default are labeling yourself as unhappy.
This isn’t to say, stop trying to evolve & become a better person or not to help others, no, quite the opposite, that is all we should focus on, rather than climbing the corporate ladder or acquiring more possessions.
What are you chasing?
In what ways are you looking at what’s wrong rather than what’s going right?
Feel free to comment your thoughts or reflect privately! This is a topic I’ve been thinking about a lot recently, and I made realizations that I’m happy with where I’m at currently, and going to stick with this path, until it no longer works for me.
As long as our bills are paid, we are healthy, & enjoy our jobs, what more could you really ask for?
Ease Your Financial Payne 