Who Are the Joneses and Why Are We Trying to Keep Up with Them?(2)
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8 So it’s time to take some pressure off yourself and stop trying to keep up with the Joneses — or anyone else for that matter. Who cares what they think, anyway?
9 It’s not worth it! It only leads to disappointment in the end — even if you get what you’re after. You’ll have a better life if you just forget about what other people think and hold onto what you know is true:
Stuff will never make you happy. “We used to have everything you could want — the big house, the nice cars — but we were miserable,” a Mr. Travis said. “I was working up to 90 hours a week to cover our payments.” But after going through careful budgeting and getting out of debt, he and his wife, Lisa, are happier than they’ve ever been in their lives — renting a two-bedroom apartment.
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More is never enough. If you are trying to earn money for the sake of having more money, you will never be satisfied. Do some soul searching and ask yourself what “enough” really looks like. If you can’t put a cap on it, you’re chasing the wind. Learn to be happy with what you have. Just remember that if you can’t buy it outright, you can’t afford it. And it won’t really be yours if you buy it on credit.
Contentment comes from within. It’s easy to blame feelings of discontentment on outside sources like money or stuff, but true contentment and lasting joy don’t come from anything money can buy. Think of the times you’ve felt most satisfied in life. Think of the moments you look back on as your fondest memories. Would you trade those for a pile of cash?
10 So act now! Stop buying into the message that you’re not good enough. Stop buying things to “improve” who you are. Actions speak louder than words, so every time your kids see you berating yourself, they, too, are getting the message that they aren’t good enough. So stop the madness. Do it for your kids. Do it for yourself. Just do it.
