How to Be Happy With What You Have
Take a moment to think about your many gifts., Think of the ways things could be much worse., Let go of the past., Stop comparing yourself to others., Release yourself from desires for material things., Focus on your happiest memories.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Take a moment to think about your many gifts.
In other words, think about all of the great things that you do have, not the things you don't.
When you're feeling down, this can be tough to do, so start with things you may have taken for granted.
Ask yourself the questions below.
If you can answer "yes" to any single one, you have reason to celebrate — not everyone can.
Do you have a place to live? Do you have a job? Have you had an education? Do you have a significant other who loves you? Do you have a family member you have a good relationship with? Do you sometimes have free time to do what you want? Do you have a pet? Do you have a nice area of wilderness near where you live? Is it enough for the life? What else do you need? And is it necessary? -
Step 2: Think of the ways things could be much worse.
Next, try thinking of everything that could be wrong right now.
Reflect on why these things have not happened.
Consider each bad thing that hasn't happened to you as gift in itself.
Below are just a few questions to get you started — this time, if you can answer "no," to any single one, you have reason to be happy! Are you dead? Are you in prison? Are you in poor health? Are you completely alone in the world without any chance to meet new people? Are you completely broke? , There's no way to change the past, so worrying about it does nothing for you.
Don't spend a single second focusing on the many things that could have been — these things don't exist in the present, so they're not real.
Focus instead on the things that do exist and that you can change.
Below are just a few examples of things that you should waste absolutely no time feeling regret over:
Romantic interests that didn't pan out Mistakes you made in your career path Adventures you didn't take Embarrassing situations you were involved in , Envy is like poison for happiness.
It's very hard to keep your happiness alive when you're focused on how other people are better than you.
When someone has something that you like (like a job, a car, a significant other, a fun vacation, etc.), don't be upset that you don't have that thing.
Instead, be happy for the other person and focus on making yourself happier.
Remember: people tend to only share the parts of their lives that they're proud about.
You usually won't know about most of the things that are going poorly for your friends and coworkers. , Possessions can't make you happy in the long term.
The "glow" from purchasing fancy new things quickly wears off.
Soon, your new possessions are mundane and you're no happier than when you started.
Money, houses, and shiny cars are nice things to have, but they're not the source of happiness, so by allowing yourself to desire these things you're only setting yourself up for more unhappiness. , While you shouldn't worry about the past because there's nothing you can do to change it, you can and should savor the good aspects of your past.
The fact that you have been happy in the past is something to be thankful for.
No one else in the world has your happy memories, so you are uniquely privileged in this way.
Below are a just a few things you may want to think about:
Happy memories from your childhood Achievements or milestones that you have reached Family gatherings you enjoyed Fun outings with your friends Professional goals you have met -
Step 3: Let go of the past.
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Step 4: Stop comparing yourself to others.
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Step 5: Release yourself from desires for material things.
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Step 6: Focus on your happiest memories.
Detailed Guide
In other words, think about all of the great things that you do have, not the things you don't.
When you're feeling down, this can be tough to do, so start with things you may have taken for granted.
Ask yourself the questions below.
If you can answer "yes" to any single one, you have reason to celebrate — not everyone can.
Do you have a place to live? Do you have a job? Have you had an education? Do you have a significant other who loves you? Do you have a family member you have a good relationship with? Do you sometimes have free time to do what you want? Do you have a pet? Do you have a nice area of wilderness near where you live? Is it enough for the life? What else do you need? And is it necessary?
Next, try thinking of everything that could be wrong right now.
Reflect on why these things have not happened.
Consider each bad thing that hasn't happened to you as gift in itself.
Below are just a few questions to get you started — this time, if you can answer "no," to any single one, you have reason to be happy! Are you dead? Are you in prison? Are you in poor health? Are you completely alone in the world without any chance to meet new people? Are you completely broke? , There's no way to change the past, so worrying about it does nothing for you.
Don't spend a single second focusing on the many things that could have been — these things don't exist in the present, so they're not real.
Focus instead on the things that do exist and that you can change.
Below are just a few examples of things that you should waste absolutely no time feeling regret over:
Romantic interests that didn't pan out Mistakes you made in your career path Adventures you didn't take Embarrassing situations you were involved in , Envy is like poison for happiness.
It's very hard to keep your happiness alive when you're focused on how other people are better than you.
When someone has something that you like (like a job, a car, a significant other, a fun vacation, etc.), don't be upset that you don't have that thing.
Instead, be happy for the other person and focus on making yourself happier.
Remember: people tend to only share the parts of their lives that they're proud about.
You usually won't know about most of the things that are going poorly for your friends and coworkers. , Possessions can't make you happy in the long term.
The "glow" from purchasing fancy new things quickly wears off.
Soon, your new possessions are mundane and you're no happier than when you started.
Money, houses, and shiny cars are nice things to have, but they're not the source of happiness, so by allowing yourself to desire these things you're only setting yourself up for more unhappiness. , While you shouldn't worry about the past because there's nothing you can do to change it, you can and should savor the good aspects of your past.
The fact that you have been happy in the past is something to be thankful for.
No one else in the world has your happy memories, so you are uniquely privileged in this way.
Below are a just a few things you may want to think about:
Happy memories from your childhood Achievements or milestones that you have reached Family gatherings you enjoyed Fun outings with your friends Professional goals you have met
About the Author
Grace Jackson
Grace Jackson specializes in education and learning and has been creating helpful content for over 4 years. Grace is committed to helping readers learn new skills and improve their lives.
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