After over fifty years of employment with one goal of achieving financial and emotional health, two simple questions finally came to my attention:
What is enough?
And
When have I achieved enough of this enough?
I feel so blessed that very early in my career I diverted into lecturing and learning. I am sure that the majority of my diligent learners who graduated more than twenty years ago have earned far more than I ever have. I traded off compensation for job satisfaction and personal control over my daily agenda. But did that mean that I felt I had enough? No! Being honest, only in the last five years, as I have thought about my enough need. Finally I actually felt satisfied and felt a true sense of bounty and abundance.
So, what is my point? I wish I had probed more carefully what was my definition and measure of ENOUGH. Had I challenged myself to address my ‘enough’ quotient I would have noted it was a moving goal, which was always just around the corner. If I had allowed for the contentment of having enough sooner, I would not have worked any less diligently, but I might have had a better mindset, with more peace and purpose replacing the endless striving and desire for more.
Are my expectations legitimate? Realistic? Long term in focus? Do they allow for balance in my life between my personal and professional goals? Rather than re-calibrating my needs every time I was successful, I should have defaulted to gratitude, charity and a sense of wellness.
Perhaps your measure and definition of ENOUGH is unrealistic. How much of your ENOUGH need is legitimate and how much is fanciful and naïve? Does your need allow for purpose and pleasure along the way, or is it all about deferred gratification and waiting until retirement? Does your enough definition allow for happiness along the way?
An enough definition of happiness might be defined as:
Happiness equal Results minus Expectations.
Note, it is much easier to reduce Expectations than increase Results to achieve the same level or better degree of Happiness. I recommend taking the easier way out to achieve an improved level of wellness.
Reflection Source: www.Smallercup.org
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