Be Happy with the Life You Have Right Now

What people often mistake me for based on my social media presence is someone who just wants more and nothing drives me more crazy than that. I cannot stand when people assume things about other people when they don’t know the half of it, don’t you agree? We all want to be somewhere in life and we all have goals of course, but it doesn’t mean that some of us aren’t content with the life we do have. So lets dive right into it…

The original thought…

More money. A better job title. A bigger house. A nicer wardrobe. We all want more. It’s human nature, really. Even if you aren’t a perfectionist who is constantly trying to push herself to the next level, most of us usually aren’t willing to stop dead in our tracks. We all have at least some desire to keep moving forward.

But, let’s face it—living our lives with the constant thought of getting our greedy hands on more (whether that’s money, fame, or success) can be downright draining. And, if you want to feel even the least bit content on a daily basis, you need to learn to go against the grain and be happy with—gasp!—less.

I know, I know.. the HORROR.

So this all sounds great right, but I know it’s all easier said than done. So here are a few tips on how I’ve learned to be happy with what you’ve already got and trust me, it’s definitely doable.

1. STOP FALLING INTO THE COMPARISON TRAP

All too often, I find myself chasing after something not because I actually want it, but because I feel like I should have it. Why? Well, because other people have it.

What is wrong with us?

Comparison has become all too easy today. Like everybody else, I blame what I do for a living — social media. Love it and hate it. One minute, I’ll feel accomplished and successful in my career—until I log onto Instagram and see that a fellow blogger was recently jet setting  the world and working with brands I could only dream of.

Jump over to the house scenario – I just bought a home and I absolutely love it, in fact its a home I never thought I could have at my age and I’m so proud of myself, that is until until I see that one of my Facebook friends is building her 5000 square foot dream home with views to dream of.

See how easy that trap is to fall into? I won’t even bother getting up on my high horse and preaching to you about this one, because I compare myself to others more frequently than I’d even care to admit—it’s natural.

But, it’s important to remember that someone else’s success isn’t your failure!! And, beyond that, you don’t have to have (or even want) everything that other person already has within her grasp. You’re different people with different lives. So, do your best to stay focused on your own path, and forget the rest. In the end, what everyone else is doing has little to no impact on your own success and happiness.

2. LET GO OF THE PAST

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.

3. SPEND TIME WITH THE PEOPLE YOU TRULY VALUE

To a certain extent, you are the people you surround yourself with. That I have definitely learned to be true. Over time, their opinions, actions, and emotions rub off on you, working their way into your life. To be as happy as possible, be sure to spend time with the people who are most important to you — the people who make you happiest. These can be friends, family members, coworkers, significant others, or even casual acquaintances. I’ll be honest and say I don’t have many close friends in my life. Mainly because I only like to surround myself with positive uplifting people who I feel truly value and appreciate me and make me feel loved. Only you know who makes you the happiest, so make this choice for yourself and never feel like you have to spend time with certain people to look “cool” or whatever. We choose the life we want to live and you don’t owe anyone an explanation.

4. END EACH DAY FEELING GRATEFUL

My mother always taught me (and still reminds me to this day) to always thank the universe for what I have and be grateful for each day and I have taken that to heart since the day she told me that.

With that being said almost every night, I literally thank the universe for what I am feeling grateful for that day or in that moment. Usually it is my family, my dog, my career and the beautiful life that I get to live everyday. Sometimes I say thank you for me and my family’s health and I ask to continue to be happy and healthy because in the end, what is life without that? I just always believe it’s important to say thank you and feel that gratitude for the amazing things you do have in life even though we sometimes lose sight of that.

It might all sound a little to mushy to you—and I can’t blame you there. But, I promise, it works. This technique pulls your attention off of all of those things that you don’t have and those slipups that didn’t go quite right throughout the day, and instead makes you remember all of the things (both big and small!) that you should appreciate. Instead of falling asleep obsessing over the photo I saw of my friend’s friend’s boyfriends sister on Instagram, I can rest easy thinking about all of the positives in my life.

I hope today’s post helped you feel a little more at ease with where you are at the moment in life. Remember ever day is just a stepping stone for something greater and we should all be happy for the life we have!