‘The grass is always greener’ and other lies we believe

A few years ago I was walking through the airport on my way to my gate and I stopped at the gift shop. I usually bring a book to read but this time I didn’t so I walked up to the book section. I found one that immediately grabbed my attention. It was about a concept that I had never really thought about. What if we really did get all the things we wanted when we wanted them? Would that make us happy? The conclusion the writer came up with was no. The joy we find in life is from the things we go through every day that we didn’t think we were going to go through. I was going to buy the book, but it was a hardback copy and it was over priced (as everything is at the airport) so I just told myself I would buy it when I got home. I didn’t buy it. I have been looking for it ever since. The problem is that I don’t remember the name!

The reason I am bringing this story up right now is because of a discussion I had yesterday. On twitter a question was posed: “When I get what I want, will I want what I’ve got?”

My response to that was, “No. People want what they don’t have, the hunt is where the thrill exists.” I guess the problem with this is that I was not talking about myself, I was talking about people in general.

It made me stop and take a look at myself. Do I think that the grass is really greener on the other side of the fence? Am I only interested in the “hunt” and not on actually getting what I say I want. The conclusion I came to is sometimes. It freaked me out to think that I might be part of the group that is more interested in chasing things than in actually getting what I want, so I decided do some soul searching and some research.

According to everything I could find online it takes an income of $75,000 per year right now to be happy. I found multiple articles and studies that said this was the magic number and here is one of the articles: “How Much Money Makes You Happy?”

I don’t make $75,000 per year currently. At no point in my life have I made $75,000 per year up to this point. I am a happy guy. I really am happy. One of the things I found out in my research is that people stress about money a lot! I have seen that in the lives of friends and family. I am not really one to stress about money. I don’t need stuff. There is no bigger, better, nicer thing that I am saving my money to get. I am not running up credit cards so I can out-do my neighbors. That is just not who I am. I’m not saying that I am somehow the only person who is not materialistic and consumed with stuff. I know a lot of people who are less worried with what they have than they are in how much they can help someone else.

This all made me realize a few things. First off, there are a lot of people consumed with themselves and their own stuff. If the research that was done is correct than wow…we are really all about things in America today. I guess I knew that, but hadn’t thought about it in a while.

Another thing it made me realize is that there is so much more in life than just me and my stuff. When we get our eyes off of us and onto how we can make a difference we can change lives. There are people who change lives every day. People who do a lot more than me…and probably more than you too. I’m not trying to make anyone feel guilty for having stuff. If you make over $75,000 then that is awesome for you!

My only question is will you help someone else or will you keep it just for you and yours? I find that helping people with what I have been given is way more rewarding and brings me more happiness than spending it on myself. I know I can’t be alone in that.

I know a guy who gives more than he takes. You may or may not agree with everything he says or exactly how he does what he does…but he helps people that others ignore. Take a second and consider helping him help others. If not him, find someone or something you believe in and make a difference. We can change the world for the better. We just have to get our eyes off of ourselves.

Go to http://www.theoneinc.org/ or click the picture below.

Do you have a case of the Monday’s…do something nice for someone!

So I have had several people tell me they woke up in a bad mood over the past couple days. In my Facebook feed there is a constant stream of people saying how they are having a bad day or they are wishing their day as already over. On Monday I woke up and was not all that happy to be going to work. Now I enjoy my job and even if I don’t want to be there I will still be smiling. I got to work and several things just didn’t go the way I wanted them to go. Typical Monday…at least that was my attitude for a little while.

It was not very long before I remember that my Monday was a whole lot better than some. A friend of mine had her house struck by lighting and it caught on fire on Sunday. Her Monday morning was not very enjoyable. There were two shootings on Monday morning. One in downtown Little Rock and one a couple miles away from me in Bryant! Multiple people were dead from the shootings. How many family members and friends would have loved to trade places with me for that Monday morning. What about all the people who are living on the street in your town or all the people who don’t have a job that are looking but can’t find one? Do you think their Monday morning was worse than mine?

I think we lose perspective sometimes. We get so focused on what is going on in our own little world that we forget that there are others around us that need help. I’m not talking about the people in a third-world country that are dying of starvation today (because they exist…but you ignore commercials about them every day.) I’m talking about the people in your community that need help. I’m talking about the cashier who was rude to you, but she didn’t mean to be rude…her husband just lost his job and the only income they have is her part-time job. I’m talking about the person who waits in line under the bridge only to find out that they don’t have any shoes his size so he will have to go to his interview in the same soaking wet sneakers he has on right now.

If you don’t actually know anyone who needs help then help someone who does. The Van is part of The One, Inc. and they know people who need help. If you don’t think that is who you want to help…find someone else to help. It will bring you back to reality. Your day is not as bad as you think, even if it is a Monday. On my worst day I am more blessed than so many people. I’m healthy, I have family, friends, a job, a house, a car, food to eat and clothes to wear. Remember that you are one disaster away from being the person you ignore.

 

What if I told you that everything the media told you about Occupy Wall Street was wrong?

There is more and more coverage of Occupy Wall Street and the Occupy Movement in cities across the country and around the world. Some of it is not pretty…

 

We have all seen the violence that came from the protests in Rome. We have seen interviews with that guy in the Occupy Wall Street guy who can’t answer any questions because he has no idea why he is actually there. That is what I have seen a lot in the media. It appears that no one has any idea that they are mad about, they are just mad and they want a reason to protest. Also I have seen it portrayed as a left-wing movement of hippies who don’t want to work. It is a movement of free-loaders that are un-American, anti-capitalist and lazy. I have heard that the occupy is actually being run by socialists and most recently I heard it was being run by communists.

Then I met some of the members of the Occupy movement. I have not spent the night on the street. I have not been arrested (although I have a friend who was). I wanted to get my own opinion so I went downtown and got online to see what I could find. I met around 100 people from 4 different cities so far and it is not what I expected. Everyone I have met so far has a job. None of them are living off their parents. They are not all white college students. I have met a range of ages, races and income levels. No one I met wants anarchy. No one I met is looking for a violent revolution. Things are not always as they seem. Don’t assume that if it looks that just because the news anchor says something about a group it is true.

Keith Boykin wrote an article giving his Top 10 Myths About Occupy Wall Street.

He actually went down to Occupy Wall Street and met the people and these were the 10 things he found to be untrue that he had heard in the news:

1. The movement is violent.

2. It’s just a bunch of pampered kids.

3. There are no black people involved.

4. They’re anti-American.

5. They’re just modern day hippies.

6. They don’t know what they want.

7. The labor unions are behind us.

8. They’re pro-Obama. They’re anti-Obama.

9. They’re in the wrong place.

10. They’re taking over Wall Street.

If you want to read his findings here is a link to his article: Everything The Media Told You About Occupy Wall Street Is Wrong

I suggest you read it. It is short and one of the better articles I have read on the subject. Another thing you can do is actually find out for yourself. There is probably an Occupy [your city]. Go meet some people. You don’t have to protest. You don’t have to make any signs. Go make an informed decision. Don’t take my word for it and don’t take the word of the media. We’re all people on a journey through our lives. Other people may not see eye to eye but people are still more important than what political party you are registered with.