“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not,
but rejoices for those which he has.”
—Epictetus
Perhaps the ultimate trick of the mind is highlighted in the above quote.
Most of the world seems at times to be built on this trick i.e. minimise the focus on what you have and amplify the focus on what you don’t. Advertising, for example, is built on this principle.
And the weekend just past is laced with irony in so far as my North American friends have celebrated Thanksgiving, while at the same time spending gazillions in the biggest consumer purchasing event of the year, Black Friday through to today, Cyber Monday.
In my experience, the balance between appreciating what we have and not being frustrated by what we don’t have, has become a defining inner challenge for most. In many ways, social media amplifies that problem, as it often highlights what others ‘have’ – even though it’s not the complete picture of their lives.
And the reality is that the mind is never satisfied – it always wants more.
And that thinking usually clouds the state of appreciation – which is one of the key elements in achieving joy – which is the state that drives people to want more i.e. ‘when I get that, then I will feel joy’.
Maybe it’s time to start at the end?
What can you appreciate/rejoice in this week?
Food for thought…
Best,
Shane
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