Lately I’ve been thinking…there’s got to be more to life than hustling towards a successful job, rushing around trying to get our to-do lists done, and trying to keep up with the expectations of society. Much focus of our current reality seems to be heavily placed on striving to get that perfect job, that perfect body, the latest technology, the best house, and a lot of this thinking is fuelled by big companies and the general economy that thrives on our addiction to materialism. All of these consistent thoughts telling us that we need to do better, make more, have more is bringing up our stress levels and bringing down our sense of satisfaction and happiness.
But let’s consider, what if in fact there is something more to life? Have we forgotten our sense of true purpose? A lot of us get caught up in a never-ending cycle of stress, work, and other obligations, not giving our minds and bodies the proper rest, care and relaxation they need. Our family relations, and interactions with friends and loved ones could use more time and dedication, but with the business of life, these things often take the back seat.
I’ve been giving this some thought, and I think now all of us been given that opportunity- to attend to all those “other” parts in our lives that might not always be priority, when we’re always focusing on working harder and getting ahead. Although not planned, and of course it not being the most ideal situation, this pandemic and the call to stay home from school, work, and other various outings, has provided us a chance to pause, decompress, let go of our usual busy routines. We have the chance to focus on what’s really the most important parts to our lives…our relationships with our loved ones, friends, family, and with ourselves, along with our physical, mental, and spiritual health.
So much of what brings us happiness stems from fostering meaningful, loving, authentic relationships with others. So much healing can happen when we look to take extra care of our bodies, minds, and spirituality. While you’re at home, and perhaps without your usual amount of responsibilities, consider spending this time enriching your relationships with your loved ones at home, connecting and socializing virtually with friends, and bringing attention to yourself, whether that’s doing some exercise, eating healthier, practicing meditation, or setting aside time for prayer.
As much as successful jobs, enormous houses, expensive cars, and the latest clothes, may bring temporary happiness- it’s actually the bigger picture of meaningful relationships and good health that allow us to find long lasting happiness and life satisfaction. In the end, it won’t matter how much we had or didn’t have, but rather how you’ve impacted others and how others have impacted you.
I’ll leave you with two quotes:
“At the end it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished. It’s about who you’ve lifted up, who you’ve made better. It’s about what you’ve given back” – Denzel Washington
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel” – Maya Angelou
I hope you have a great weekend,
Always,
Paula
Mindfulness by Paula 