one of the more pervasive and destructive mental tendencies ive seen is that of focusing on what we want instead of what we have. it doesnt seem to make my difference how much we have, we just keep expanding our list of desires, which guarantees we will remain dissatisfied. the mind-set that says ll be happy when this desire is fulfilled is the same mind-set that will repeat itself once that desire is met.
we want this or that. if we dont get what we want, we keep thinking about all that we dont have and we remain dissatisfied. if we do get what we want, we simply recreate the same thinking in our new circumstances. so, despite getting what we want, we still remain unhappy. happiness cant be found when we are yearning for new desires.luckily, there is a way to be happy. it involves changing the emphasis of our thinking from what we want to what we have. rather than wishing you were able to take a vacation to hawaii, think of how much fun you have had close to home. the list of possibilities is endless! each time you notice yourself falling into the i wish life were different trap, back off and start over. take a breath and remember all that you have to be grateful. when you focus not on what you want, but on what you have, you end up getting more of what you want anyway. if you focus on the good qualities of your spouse, shell be more loving. if you are grateful for your job rather than complaining about it, youll do a better job, be more productive, and probably end up getting a raise any-way. if you focus on ways to enjoy yourself around home rather than waiting to enjoy yourself in hawaii, youll end up having more fun. if you ever do get to hawaii, youll be in the habit of enjoying yourself. and, if by some chance you dont, you have a great life anyway.
make a note of yourself to start thinking more about what you have than what you want. if you do, your life will start appearing much better than before. for perhaps the first time in your life, youll know what it means to feel satisfied.