How to Stop Chasing After a Better Life

So often in life people are so focused on having more, doing more and being more that they don't realize what they have, do and are is more than good enough. If you're constantly seeking something better, it's hard to appreciate the goodness of what you already have. Sometimes it's necessary to stop chasing after a better life long enough to take stock of the one you already are living.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Life goals
• Self-reflection

1. Define your life goals. It's very easy to get caught up in the pace of trying to make more money, climb up the corporate ladder, find someone to spend the rest of your life with and all the other craziness of life without actually knowing if these are things you really want. Take some time to sit down and really look at what will make you happy.

2. Take a good, hard look at the life you already have and see how it meets those newly-defined life goals. It's possible that you're well on your way to living the life you want, but you didn't know it because you didn't know what that life looked like.

3. Try to remember where you've been and ask yourself whether you can honestly say you're better off than you were a few years ago. Some pieces of a better life are subtle and hard to spot. For instance, it may be that last year at this time you were returning cans and bottles to buy groceries, but now your refrigerator is always stocked and you have a little money left over.

4. Let go of the need to compete with others. Everybody has their own reasons for chasing after a better life--the trick is to know whether in the end you'll be happier for it. You don't have to prove your worth to anybody but yourself. If you are comfortable with your accomplishments and are doing the best you can, those around you will see it.

5. Decide what's good enough. This is a very personal decision. For some people, good enough is having a place to live, clothes to wear, food to eat and a family to love. For others, good enough includes all these things and more. Knowing what your "good enough life" entails allows you to stop chasing after something better.

6. Allow yourself to slow down a little bit and experience the joys in life. They're always there and can be as simple as the belly laugh of your child, the taste of chocolate or the contentment of sitting quietly next to someone you love. Without joy, it doesn't matter whether you find a better life or not--you won't enjoy it when you find it.

Tips & Warnings

• Every little decision you've made has had a hand in bringing you to your current place. Reflect on the achievements and failures of your life up until now and see how they've built the path to your current existence.

[DanimalMonster]

on 11/2/2009 This is a great article on how to stop chasing a better life, thanks! 5* and recommend.

[musicdeb]

on 4/1/2009 good reminders... thanks