Being Happy with What You Have
I realized the other day that I can easily be come discontent with a mere trip through Target.
Oh, don't get me wrong. I have it made in the shade, in my humble opinion. I have a beautiful house that I LOVE to stay in and entertain, fun family and friends, good food in the fridge/pantry/freezer, even during a pantry challenge, a few vehicles that never leave me stranded, a job that pays well and bosses that I wouldn't trade for the world and so forth.
However ... when I start looking around me, taking the so-called blinders off, I think I'm missing so much more in life!
That trip to Target? It was to simply get my dad some zicam and bottled water. I figured I'd be in and out of Target way quicker than a trip through the grocery store.
Ha! WRONG!
Within 10 minutes of being in the store, AFTER grabbing a full sized cart, strictly by habit, and really, for TWO things, I had the water bottles, zicam, a turkey (49 cents per lb!), oranges, OES lip balm, a few clearance plates, and I was heading the opposite direction of the cash registers to check out the clothes.
WTF??
Seriously. It hit me just like that. The urge to load up that big cart and then the RUDE awakening of just what I was doing.
I put everything back, EXCEPT the OEM lip balm (hey, it was on sale $2.49), the zicam and the water.
Good grief.
Thankfully, I saw the light before I headed to the checkout!
I honestly try to do things consistently to feel content with what I have.
That picture? That is a console table in the main living room (which an old friend gave me when they were moving out of state ... something we never would have even looked at as it would have been way out of our price range) with pictures of things that are dear to my heart, my mothers mini urn of ashes, pictures of the worlds greatest dog, the kids, my husband, my father, my mother in law, my father in law, the boy and his former band members (both bands), my favorite coconut scented candles and then the seashells that my mother in law found on the beach one year. This table, to me, represents so much happiness, love AND CONTENTMENT.
At Christmas, I had put the cool LED light strands in the glass vase (hubby wouldn't let me string them around the room like last years, said it was cool at night, but tacky as hell during the day!) and when I took them out after the new year, he told me to put them back in as they were pretty. Yes, they are pretty.
And those lights? They enhance my feelings of contentment. Every time I look over at that table, a sense of calmness comes over me, and makes me thankful for everything I have. It might not be what YOU want, but for me, its more than enough.
What makes you content? Do you find yourselves thinking STUFF will make you feel happier?
I can honestly say that any old STUFF does NOT make me happier ... having things that MEAN something to me does. It doesn't need to be pretty, shiny and new (let alone, expensive!) to bring contentment ...
Oh, don't get me wrong. I have it made in the shade, in my humble opinion. I have a beautiful house that I LOVE to stay in and entertain, fun family and friends, good food in the fridge/pantry/freezer, even during a pantry challenge, a few vehicles that never leave me stranded, a job that pays well and bosses that I wouldn't trade for the world and so forth.
However ... when I start looking around me, taking the so-called blinders off, I think I'm missing so much more in life!
That trip to Target? It was to simply get my dad some zicam and bottled water. I figured I'd be in and out of Target way quicker than a trip through the grocery store.
Ha! WRONG!
Within 10 minutes of being in the store, AFTER grabbing a full sized cart, strictly by habit, and really, for TWO things, I had the water bottles, zicam, a turkey (49 cents per lb!), oranges, OES lip balm, a few clearance plates, and I was heading the opposite direction of the cash registers to check out the clothes.
WTF??
Seriously. It hit me just like that. The urge to load up that big cart and then the RUDE awakening of just what I was doing.
I put everything back, EXCEPT the OEM lip balm (hey, it was on sale $2.49), the zicam and the water.
Good grief.
Thankfully, I saw the light before I headed to the checkout!
I honestly try to do things consistently to feel content with what I have.
That picture? That is a console table in the main living room (which an old friend gave me when they were moving out of state ... something we never would have even looked at as it would have been way out of our price range) with pictures of things that are dear to my heart, my mothers mini urn of ashes, pictures of the worlds greatest dog, the kids, my husband, my father, my mother in law, my father in law, the boy and his former band members (both bands), my favorite coconut scented candles and then the seashells that my mother in law found on the beach one year. This table, to me, represents so much happiness, love AND CONTENTMENT.
At Christmas, I had put the cool LED light strands in the glass vase (hubby wouldn't let me string them around the room like last years, said it was cool at night, but tacky as hell during the day!) and when I took them out after the new year, he told me to put them back in as they were pretty. Yes, they are pretty.
And those lights? They enhance my feelings of contentment. Every time I look over at that table, a sense of calmness comes over me, and makes me thankful for everything I have. It might not be what YOU want, but for me, its more than enough.
What makes you content? Do you find yourselves thinking STUFF will make you feel happier?
I can honestly say that any old STUFF does NOT make me happier ... having things that MEAN something to me does. It doesn't need to be pretty, shiny and new (let alone, expensive!) to bring contentment ...
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