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In an article I wrote many months ago (If you haven’t read it, I suggest you do, otherwise this post may not make as much sense) I wrote about the fact that money and happiness are not always directly related.
And while that might sound noble or perhaps naive, I wanted to ask myself the question, “Is this really true in my own life?”
So I drew this little picture showing my income and happiness over time. I tried to be as honest as I could, and the result is a pretty crude, but pretty informative graph.
As I reflected back I was reminded of how blessed and privileged I have been, and how thankful I am to my parents for providing so much for me. I also realised that some of the happiest times in my life were times when my income was low, or even non-existent.
Now that’s not to say money isn’t important, but it’s less important than we think, and than the world gives credit for. Of course, the measure of wealth is subjective in itself. What I might call “getting by” others in our society might call “rich”, or what I call “awesome”, others might say is pitiful.
The point is, if we think money is going to make us happier if we could just get a bit more, than I really believe we are setting ourselves up for constant disappointment. Rather just choose to be happy now. As Henry Ward Beecher said,
“No man can tell whether he is rich or poor by turning to his ledger. It is the heart that makes a man rich. He is rich or poor according to what he is, not according to what he has.”
