By David Valentine, co-founder of Rethink and partner/board member/practitioner of the Veritas Lifestyle and Veritas Life Adventures
If you were just thinner…if you had a girlfriend, got a raise, made a 4.0, won state, got the newest iPhone, had more sex—you’d be happier. These are the messages we’re sold everyday, usually with some innovative dish soap (how innovative can dish soap be anyway?). The reality is you don’t need anything more than what you have right now to be fulfilled.
You may be thinking, “Come on. Do you know my life? A little extra cash would go a very long way.”The reality is…none of those things would actually fill the void. None of them would bring about the promised fruit, because they bring happiness for a while until that happiness runs out.
The secret to a fulfilling life is contentment. And contentment starts with an evaluation of what you already have in plenty.
Are you healthy? Can you walk, run, jump? Do you have people in your life who genuinely care about your well being? Have you eaten today? How many meals have you had? Do you have a home to go to? Is there air conditioning in that house? How many cars sit on your driveway or in your garage? Is the water you drink clean?
If you’re reading this you have a body—and it’s capable of doing amazing things. More than likely there is someone, somewhere who deeply cares about your well being. It’s reasonable to assume you’ve eaten at least once today (since you’re reading this on the internet). You probably are reading this on your iPhone while sipping a latte at Starbucks in fact.
So…you’re healthy. You are loved, you are fed, clothed, and have a place to call home. Not to mention you never wonder if your water is safe to drink.
You’ve got everything you need right here, right now. The key is to recognize how much you already have.
You don’t need anything more. We already have more than enough.