Happiness Formula

Happiness formula = Do YOUR best and feel good about it. |

Unhappiness formula = Compare yourself to everyone else.

I read this simple, yet profound statement this morning HERE (one of my favorite blogs).

Let me ask you this:  have you ever had the experience of having a really solid run, or an amazing day with your kids, or a breakthrough at work – and then you talk to someone, or go onto Facebook or read a blog and all of a sudden you no longer feel so stellar about your day? You’ve probably just been part of the unhappiness formula, i.e., you compared yourself to everyone else and got in a stupid funk.

Why do we do that? Why isn’t it enough to be just do our best and feel good about it?

True, you could say that when we are really secure with ourselves, we are not brought down or affected by the external stuff. But, who is really secure with themselves anyway?

I think there has always been this FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) epidemic. There has also always been this FONBE (Fear Of Not Being Enough) epidemic. Yet, in the age of social media, it has become far too easy to be constantly exposed to what others are doing – their successful children, their amazing vacations, their PRs at every race, their perfect marriages, their extravagant meals out.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not blasting social media – I am very much a part of it, and I see the benefits. But, like everything, you have to be able to take it in doses of moderation. You have to be able to filter. You have to make sure that it is not swallowing you up, sucking your time and sending you into a dark hole of FOMO and FONBE.

I think we all need to find peace in who we are and own it. Own that maybe we will never live up to the ideal lives that we perceive around us (which we know are not really that ideal behind closed doors), but acknowledge that we are okay and enough anyway. It’s all about perspective and attitude.

So, if you are having moments of doubt that you are enough, instead of berating yourself – ask yourself, “Am I doing my best?” Only you truly know the answer. If you are giving your relationships, your job, your running, your children, your health, your community and yourself the best that you have to offer, then that is all that truly matters.

I am waxing all poetic because I turn 47 on Saturday. That means I am that much closer to 50 freaking years old so have to stop messing around and become an old sage.

SUAR