“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.” ― John Lennon
I think it is safe to say that I have reached an age and stage in my life where my priorities are completely shifting! (Oh dear, I think this means I am old! Haha)
We all spend good portions of our lives in a “conditioned state of mind” – between the education system and the working world there really isn’t much time for the exploration of anything else. We are taught to conform during our school years and then we enter the working world and exercise a whole lot more “conforming”.
As adults, we sacrifice massive portions of our lives all in aid of, well… MONEY!
How bloody SAD is that!!
If I look at my own “life-style” – I consider myself very blessed! I have been a business owner for seventeen years now so “answering to a boss” is no longer a concept that I am even familiar with. I have complete freedom and flexibility time wise - which allows me to come and go as I please, therefore being able to partake in my sons life the way a mother should and it also affords me social opportunities that many others do not have… but all of this too, comes at a cost - with enormous amounts of stress (as any business owner would know) as well as the fact that even though you are “available” – you are ALWAYS working! – ALWAYS!!!
I am not able to walk out of work and leave it behind - completely donating myself to my son and family. My laptop is always open and we juggle it most days with a bit of work and then a bit of play, … and then once he goes to bed, I continue to work.
This is all great and well, but I could swear my son was two years old one blink ago?!
So a few more blinks – he will be a young adult and my life will pretty much have peaked.
I cannot help but beg the question… I know money is necessary – but is it all really worth it?
I will say this… despite the fact that I am exceptionally financially stressed on most days of any given month – I am still in a much more fortunate financial situation than many others, but it comes with about ten trucks worth of stress… and stress depletes the quality of life.
And the older I get, the more I question its worth!
I often look at those with FAR simpler lives. No, they do not have as much as some of us materialistically, but they have SO MUCH MORE in terms of quality and are therefore a lot happier!
Life should be about being happy – not being wealthy!
Sadly, these days – the one cannot seem to exist without the other… or people have forgotten how to separate the two rather… which is understandable because societal conditions do not exactly make it very easy to do that.
At 37 years of age, I have realised this – BOTH sides of it!
Yes, I am happy – but I am not completely happy! STRESS robs me of that! - It would be nice to wake up without heart palpitations and anxiety attacks due to stress… lol
I am working hard towards successfully achieving financial freedom, but I am not going to do it at the sacrifice of the beauty and love which surrounds me and realising when you are taking on too much, is a HUGE part of this!
I am grateful that through it all, I have begun to learn the art of priroitisation… not the work kind, a MUCH more important kind!
If we do not live a life that makes us happy, then our life serves absolutely NO purpose to us whatsoever…
Until next time...
Much Love from Cape Town, South Africa xxx
@originalworks @minnowsupport @steemvote @dse @steemero @markboss @steemvote @steemit @fairvote @teamsouthafrica
I have in sundry times debated the issue that school actually kills creativity.
Schools train people to become university professor's. You have been a business owner for the past 17 years, I'm sure you dint get to be one by simply going to school.
You did so by finding purpose and fueling focus. By interacting with people and doing what you love
You learned early not to conform to a certain standard but to form your Own rules and form your own universe.
I'm glad you can share all these amazing information here @jaynie
@buterdaniel that is absolutely true! and yes, you are quite right... I left school as soon as I could - which was at the age of 14/15 and I went to go study something I actually had an interesting in filling my days with, rather than the blurb they regurgitate to us at school....
Schools train people to become university professor's. You have been a business owner for the past 17 years, I'm sure you dint get to be one by simply going to school.
You did so by finding purpose and fueling focus. By interacting with people and doing what you love
Spot on!
Thanks for the awesome input! Always greatly appreciated xxx
Happiness is not determined by what's happening around you, but rather what's happening inside you.
Nailed it!
TOOOOOO TRUE!!!! Love it!!! Thanks for sharing! :)
Life should be about being happy – not being wealthy!
This line summarised it all.
Wealth for me, is just a means to an End(happiness).
Without happiness, then nothing is worthwhile.
Nice write up.
Thank you @idunique I really appreciate your positive feedback. Glad you enjoyed the post! Take care xxx
Thank you for sharing that. Mirrors my own experiences. I have dealt with it and removed as much stress as anyone possibly can.
Well @xmaas that is an excellent way forward I think :)
One day a very wise man said : "He sacrifices his health in order to make money, then sacrifices his money in order to recuperate his health"
A sad reality
Happiness is the path of your long long travel inside you.
Gosh! isn't that just the sad truth!!!! What a world we live in hey...
Let's stay happy =)
JUST BE
Two very powerful words when put together :)
I like your post. Very good.
thanks