When I hear celebrities with fame and fortune complain they’re miserable, it makes me scratch my head. They seemingly have everything, and yet it’s not enough? Why is that? My theory is material things only make us happy for a short period of time. The same goes for adulation. It’s nice, but for some people it’s just a drop in the bucket of what they need to feel fantastic. Hey, I’m no expert, but I have noticed that wherever I go and whatever I do—even if it’s something wonderful—it doesn’t always make me happy. Happiness is an inside job.
If there is one thing I have found that is the cure for the blues, it’s being thankful for what we have. Throughout the day noticing simple things that make me smile helps. When I appreciate what I have I’m happier. When I focus on what I don’t have, it’s like I’ll never have enough.
Someone asked me what I would do if I won the lottery. Obviously, I would set a large sum aside for savings, but other than that not much would change. I would still write books, give speeches, and help people reach their goals. The difference is I would go all in on the latter.
What could be better than using my winnings to do nice things for others in need? Nothing, is my answer. I believe those who are bothy wealthy and happy benefit by giving away a lot of their wealth. We see it all the time.
The thing is, we can do that on a much smaller scale with what we have right now. Bringing a smile to someone else’s face is one of the best ways to feel good ourselves. The more we give, the more we get.
If we expect to find happiness that lasts all day, we will probably be disappointed. What’s more realistic is moments of our joy and little things that make us feel good. Having that realistic expectation means we might just exceed it, but we won’t be let down if it doesn’t happen.
