Humanity has come a long way in past few centuries. The quality of life that someone in lower middle class enjoys today is far better than what even wealthiest people experienced 100 years ago.
Whether it’s access to healthcare, education, transport or even just temperature control in the room, everything’s better.
But people are more dissatisfied than ever. Wants are becoming needs rapidly.
Why is that? Why do we crib about everything when everything is becoming better?
First, humans re-calibrate fast (to the good stuff). Once we get something, we want more of it or something else entirely. And it’s OK to want. It’s OK until we don’t become someone we won’t trust or like. When we become that person, we have lost something much more important, no matter how much we accumulate.
That’s not only because it’s good to be good.
Being good also changes your brain chemicals and generates internal happiness. On the same note, when we are evil, brain chemicals do bad things, and overall quality of life deteriorates. There are obvious exceptions to this rule, the people who are at peace with their evil actions. But that’s just because their reality is different. Our evil may be their good. Case in point is terrorists. To them, killing sends them to heaven. Maybe it does because that’s their reality.
Secondly, humans are competitive, like other animals. Having good stuff is not enough. We want better stuff. Better than?? Your neighbors’ stuff of course.
People who do this are in constant state of unrest and are never happy. In the end, someone is always better, richer, smarter, and higher up the food chain than you are. Comparisons, therefore, are pointless.
Since you are reading this blog, you are already among the top 40% (most likely 10%) of richest people in the world. It’s OK to achieve more, be ambitious, and enjoy luxuries. What’s more important is to express gratitude to the universe/Almighty for the things you have, for the air you breathe, for the opportunities this life provides.
Being grateful doesn’t mean that you will achieve less in future; it just means you will feel better today.
Expressing gratitude is not only a smart philosophy. Multiple pieces of research prove that feeling and expressing gratitude releases happiness and contentment producing chemicals.
So, for the quality of life you deserve, say thanks to God, parents, friends, strangers, and the universe for whatever it offers.
What do you think? Try this for a day. Try this today. Let me know how it felt. Thank you for reading.