On Wanting More

Have you ever asked or prayed for something and promised yourself that if only you get through THIS, you’ll never ask for ANYTHING else again? I can recall only a few examples, but once I got through it, I prayed for something else. I did. “If only I get myself out of this mess, I’ll never want from anything else.” Yah, whatever!  That pot of gold always seems to be just around the corner, and once we get it, we’ll never ask for anything else again. But truth is, we do ask. So my question to you is, why is it that as human beings we always want more (or something better) than what we currently have?? Is what we have simply not good enough? Will it ever be enough? Are we too greedy? Why does life seem like a moving target for so many?

Now stay with me. Here’s the flip side: What’s so wrong with trying to achieve and accomplish? What’s so bad about wanting to self-improve? Why can’t we reap the benefits of our hard work, and then work for something else once we’ve achieved our goals? I’m on the fence here.

My Blog Stats have been at record highs lately. But you know what, it’s just become no big deal. I was so encouraged at the beginning if I saw a record high day. I would celebrate and be totally excited. Now well, it’s just another good number. So what? I keep resetting the bar. I remember back to my first son stuttering. I was just praying he would overcome. Watching him struggle to get the words out tortured my husband and I. I nurtured him, spoke softly, waited sometimes 2 minutes for a sentence to come out. And the day that he stopped stuttering, I was so grateful, please don’t get me wrong, but then something else came up after that to worry about. Once he was fine, the stuttering got replaced by another concern, and if only we could get through that. I think it may be the nature of the beast. We sometimes see it in people on diets; “I only want to lose 10 pounds and then I’ll be happy.” We all know what happens once you lose the 10 pounds… you wanna lose 5 more, and so on. We also see it in the business world, with employees trying to attain their sales goals. What happens once they reach their goal? They set new goals.

Why this constant moving target?

For the many people I have spoken to on this topic, some of them are torn between wanting more, and wanting the simplistic. For the successful people I spoke to, a few of them spoke of being torn in this different way. One day, they fight to push and achieve, and the next day, they’d trade it all in for a hot dog stand, to live simple, no stress. I find this interesting. Even as working moms, we work to help create a better life for our families. So that perhaps our kids can go to private school instead of public, or maybe go to camp, or maybe to be able to treat yourself to a vacation once in a while. But we’re killing ourselves to get it. Wouldn’t life be so much simpler if we just got back to the basics and stopped “wanting?” Just saying. Just food for thought.

So ladies, do you find yourself often resetting the bar once you’ve attained your goals? Here are a few signs you’re not living your life to its full potential.

1. You find yourself saying things like  “If only” I’…, “I really wish I could…,” or ‘As soon as I … I’ll be happy.”
   If the grass constantly looks greener on the other side, it will be!
2. You constantly feel like the victim.
   Do you always feel overworked and under-appreciated? Living angry is no way to live.
3. Your job or career is simply a means to an end- to put food on the table or to provide a roof over your head.
   It’s time to make a change – either in your life, or simply in your attitude!
4. You feel like you’re merely existing and not truly living.
   This is why I always say to unlock your passion. It could be taking up a new hobby, chasing that dream job, or putting passion back into your marriage. What’s weighing your down and preventing you from being happy?
5. You spend a lot of time doing “things” to keep your mind occupied so you don’t have to think about what’s really going on with you.
   Watching too much TV? Reading too many Gossip mags as an escape? Drinking too much alcohol to run away from your life? What are you running from? It’s time to face the music… whatever that music may sound like.

So I’m gonna stop, take a minute and be thankful for what I have. So should you. But, I know myself, I’m not gonna stop reaching for the stars and chasing my dreams. Does that make me a bad person? What is your take on wanting more?

xoxEDxox

PS – Sad to hear the news about Sandra Bullock’s husband possibly cheating, and Kate Winslet’s husband also possibly cheating. What’s the matter with you schmos??