Everyday Happiness - Finding Harmony and Bliss
Education:Self-Improvement
We’re replaying our most popular episodes from the past year. In case you missed it or want a reminder, here is the most listened to episode in February 2022.
As humans, we’re hardwired to always want more than we have, whether that’s material things or achievements. One aspect of happiness comes from achieving satisfaction by wanting what we already have.
Transcript:
Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in 2 minutes a day, through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life.
I'm your host Katie Jefcoat and I’ve been recently obsessed with this idea that wanting less will boost my happiness. I know that I could “have” a new handbag, I could financially afford it, but do I need it? No? Do I want it? Maybe not? I’ve started looking at material goods through the eyes of happiness and satisfaction. And what has been really interesting is that I compare myself to others who have similar financial means and I don’t look anything like them. I’m not dressed like they are. I am not driving the fancy car like they are. My kids are not in private school. We’re just different. And I am not here to judge, they could be just as happy. This is all internally within me.
It’s almost like I’ve fallen off the wagon the other way, I’m, so anti-material status type things, the outward facing things, that I am running around in my athleisure all day not even trying.
Of course we want to reach for the next rung on the ladder and have this feeling of satisfaction within us. I am not sure us humans are hardwired to achieve satisfaction. On some level, we are all reaching for the next step. Whether that’s a goal, a professional achievement or the material thing that only makes us feel happy in the fleeting moment.
I’m consciously trying to get off the treadmill and it’s hard. We are hardwired to want. We’ve talked about this, the hedonic treadmill. We think satisfaction is getting what we want. The promotion, the achievement, the material thing. But really, satisfaction is wanting what we have. The hard work is keeping satisfaction. When you are satisfied with what you have, and a week or a month passes and even a moment, and you truly don’t want for more.
What I’ve found is that this is something that needs constant awareness for me. When I can check myself and ask myself, why do I want this? I am better equipped to make a rational decision of whether I truly need the thing I want.
Celebrating the wins also helps to solidify the achievement. Most of us tend to chase the next thing, rarely slowing down to celebrate the achievement. So this is a great way to slow down and feel the feelings.
As we start March, 2022, 2 years after the beginning of the global pandemic, this is a great time to reflect on whether you want less and if you require less and if so, how are you going to stay mindful about this and we run full speed to the new normal.
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Links: https://onamission.bio/everydayhappiness/
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