So many things drive us mad—whether it's different aspects of our lives, past or present, or aspects of the world around us—we are upset because things are not the way we want them to be or think they should be. This dissatisfaction can be felt by us as frustration, anger, anxiety, or fear.
In a calm moment, we would agree that many of the things that upset us are not game changers. Things may not be the way we want them to be, but they will not have a great impact on our lives.
Some things, however, we definitely view as game changers. Perhaps first and foremost of these things is money—how much money we earn, how much we have. There is no question that in our culture, the amount of money one has access to affects the type of life you can live, your lifestyle. Whether it affects your happiness is another matter.
There are ample examples of people who do not have access to much money, who are nevertheless happy and at peace. Such people usually were raised in poor circumstances and have managed to not have cravings to change that status despite being bombarded daily with media messages that seek to have us strive for the "good" life. Most, however, have succumbed to those messages and suffer.
For people who were raised with at least a modicum of creature comforts and elements of the "good" life, the idea of not having that style of life, even if one has adopted a disciplined spiritual practice, is scary. We cannot imagine living under circumstances of deprivation.
What does one do when you're in that situation, that circumstance? It comes down to faith, humility, and acceptance. Faith that you will be ok, spiritually and otherwise safe, regardless. Humility, so that this changed status in your life does not offend you—things don't have to be the way you want them to be; humility because you are aware just how much better off you are than millions of others around the world. And acceptance that things are the way they are because it's just the way it is; it's meant to be and it's all ok.
Since you are used to living with much more money at your disposal, you will have to research to learn how to put together a budget to live "well" on such an income and then implement it. You will surprisingly find that your situation is not as dire as you thought. You can still live your life well in these circumstances.
In a calm moment, we would agree that many of the things that upset us are not game changers. Things may not be the way we want them to be, but they will not have a great impact on our lives.
Some things, however, we definitely view as game changers. Perhaps first and foremost of these things is money—how much money we earn, how much we have. There is no question that in our culture, the amount of money one has access to affects the type of life you can live, your lifestyle. Whether it affects your happiness is another matter.
There are ample examples of people who do not have access to much money, who are nevertheless happy and at peace. Such people usually were raised in poor circumstances and have managed to not have cravings to change that status despite being bombarded daily with media messages that seek to have us strive for the "good" life. Most, however, have succumbed to those messages and suffer.
For people who were raised with at least a modicum of creature comforts and elements of the "good" life, the idea of not having that style of life, even if one has adopted a disciplined spiritual practice, is scary. We cannot imagine living under circumstances of deprivation.
What does one do when you're in that situation, that circumstance? It comes down to faith, humility, and acceptance. Faith that you will be ok, spiritually and otherwise safe, regardless. Humility, so that this changed status in your life does not offend you—things don't have to be the way you want them to be; humility because you are aware just how much better off you are than millions of others around the world. And acceptance that things are the way they are because it's just the way it is; it's meant to be and it's all ok.
Since you are used to living with much more money at your disposal, you will have to research to learn how to put together a budget to live "well" on such an income and then implement it. You will surprisingly find that your situation is not as dire as you thought. You can still live your life well in these circumstances.
RSS Feed
