You Will Always Have What You Want, When You Want What You Have
Learning to appreciate what you have in life is often all you need to realize that what you have is exactly enough. It can be difficult to stop chasing the next great thing, but once you do, you can realize that you already have exactly what you need. This does not mean that you should not set and reach goals, but it does mean that you can gain happiness by enjoying and appreciating all that you have in the here and the now.
Finding satisfaction in your life is something many strive to achieve for a lifetime. Everything you have already achieved was once a dream for you in the past. So, how do we stop wanting more and learn to appreciate what we have, instead?
Learning to Appreciate What You Have
The first step is to acknowledge that your mindset is more focused on what you don’t have rather than what you do. When you are able to focus on what is actually in your life, do you focus on the positives or does your mind immediately gravitate toward what isn’t working? Focusing on your problems or what’s missing means your mind is trained in the wrong direction. Take stock of how often each day you find yourself wishing for more or regretting your situation.
Now that you have acknowledged your mindset, it’s time for a change. By focusing on gratitude and counting the true blessings in your life, you can learn to appreciate what you have instead of long for what you don’t. Start each day by writing for ten to fifteen minutes about all the things for which you are grateful.
Start simply.
Do you have food to eat?
Are you healthy?
Did you wake up today to enjoy another day on this earth? Remind yourself each day of all the blessings in your life.
The next step is to get some perspective. Find a place in your community where you can make a difference for those who have less than you. Whether it’s volunteering at a homeless shelter or cleaning up an area in crisis or reading to young children at your local school, spend time with people whose lives are different than yours and give back to your community. You’ll soon start to realize you have many more blessings than a lot of people in your area.
If you have the means, travel outside of the US to places where the standard of living is significantly less. You definitely start to appreciate your own fortunes and privilege when you witness firsthand how difficult the lives are of most of the world’s population.
Live in the Moment
Living in the present helps to curb your worry about not having enough in life. When you appreciate that you have everything you need right now, you can pay attention to your happiness today. Spend time in nature, immerse yourself in each moment, and let go of any thought that drags you away from your own ability to participate fully in the here and now.
Living for today also means comparing yourself only to your own beliefs and dreams, not to what others may have or have accomplished.
Other people don’t have any influence or power in your life, so why should their accomplishments have any bearing on your happiness?
Life is too short to spend any time worrying about other people, so focus instead on what you have today and what good you are able to accomplish for yourself and others.
Ask the Right Questions
Shifting your perspective about what you have can lead you to ask different questions in your life. When you start to see that you have so much compared to others, you’ll start to wonder how you can share your gifts with more people, how you can benefit your community or the world because you are so fortunate.
Instead of focusing on your wants, examine your needs, and if they are fulfilled, find ways to improve the lives of others or the planet we call home. Learning to be a good person should be the ultimate goal of a well-lived life.
Believing in what you want, and need is a key step toward achievement. When you seek to appreciate your life, you’ll soon realize just how much you have to be grateful for.