How much time do you spend focusing on what you have versus what you want?

It’s been said that one of the most significant contributors to unhappiness is focusing on what you don’t have instead of what you have. While the previous sentence might seem obvious, the obvious is easily overlooked.

Focusing on what you have doesn’t require you to stop dreaming and pursuing goals. After all, you’re human, and humans are designed to think about the future. But there’s a difference between thinking about the future and being so consumed by it that you neglect the present.

Staying grounded in the present and appreciating your current circumstances requires effort, especially when you’re constantly bombarded with messages from external sources about how your life could and should look. You’re always being sold on the idea that you need more in order to be happy.

The idea that you need more leaves you with a hollow feeling of dissatisfaction with your current life – a bottomless hole you’re always trying to fill. But the only way to plug the hole is to be happy with what you currently have.

I understand that what I’m suggesting is easier said than done and is contrary to many of the messages of popular culture. But popular culture rarely has your best interest at heart. Its job is to prey on your unhappiness and keep you wanting more.

So, the next time you find yourself thinking you’ll be happy when you acquire a particular object or accomplish a specific goal, re-focus on what you already have. Learn to appreciate your current state in life, and perhaps even remind yourself that happiness can be a choice you make, and it doesn’t have to be contingent on what you have or do not have.

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