I have a friend who feels sad about not making enough. Another friend who makes enough but is unhappy because they don’t work at Google. Then there’s a friend who works at Google but is sad because they’re not yet married. I know someone else who works at Google, is married, has a beautiful child, yet feels sad because they can’t afford a house in this economy. And finally, I have a friend who is unhappy because they are still married!! You see where I am going with this?
During a recent trip to India, I visited a fair where I encountered a ride I had never seen before. It was a model of an aeroplane, and people queued up just to sit in it. Watching them buy tickets and line up to experience that felt unsettling to me.
You see, for every dissatisfaction we have, there’s someone out there who would gladly trade places with us.
This is not to invalidate your problems and your feelings. Rather, a reminder that we should not only focus on what we don’t have; we should also appreciate what we do have. Most of us are doing well enough nonetheless. Comparison is the thief of joy. Take a moment to reflect on all the good things and people in your life.
Ultimately, your life, despite all the hardships, is someone else’s dream. You are living the dream!
