By Emil Nazaryan
Turn your attention from the lives of others, and start seeing all those blessings you didn’t know you have.
“My friend just bought a new car, and it looks so good! Not like my ancient half-broken one.” “John just got promoted to the CEO position. How come I didn’t?” “Why is Mary’s daughter a straight A student excelling in all fields, but my son barely gets by with Cs and Ds.” “Tony always travels across the world with his family, and we’re lucky if we make it to North Carolina once a year.” “Jennifer is such a good planner. Her days always stick to her schedule, and she gets so much done. I still haven’t folded my laundry from last week.”
Now, be honest with yourself. Have you ever had similar thoughts? Let’s not call this jealousy, but there is an awkward, uncomfortable feeling that dawns upon us with these thoughts. We feel pressure. We feel like we are underperforming. We feel left out. We feel insecure. At times, even an inferiority complex may descend upon us. And these are just from comparing ourselves to people we know, let alone celebrities, famous people and all those other overachievers. Oh, if we could only have the life they have… Then we would be really happy.
What a marvelous concept! How is it working out for you? Have those thoughts ever led you to positive changes in your life? Have they added anything good in your life, other just misery? There is only one exception. If those thoughts develop what W. Clement Stone called “inspirational dissatisfaction,” they can lead to positive changes. That dissatisfaction may motivate you to change yourself, grow and transform your own life. Otherwise, wishing you were living somebody else’s life is just a big poisonous waste of time.
But not just that. Think about how much these feelings take away from enjoying your own life, however unsatisfactory you may think it is. This is like a curtain that keeps you from seeing the blessings you already have, and I can guarantee you those blessings are far more than you ever thought.
So, what’s the solution? The first step is accepting yourself as you are and your life as it is today, right now, in this instant. Let the motto be “It is what it is.” Make peace with the fact that you are not sipping down a cold margarita in the Bahamas like your neighbor, just like I had to make peace with the fact that I’m not George Clooney!
The next step is to start embracing your life. Fall in love with it. Turn your attention from the lives of others onto your own. Start seeing all those blessings you didn’t know you have. Start feeling gratitude for even the smallest positives. You live in the country of dreams, you probably have shelter, water, daily food, clothes, a car—even if it’s a beat up one. You may not have a job that pays a million dollars a month, but it likely provides some comfort for you and your family. Isn’t that marvelous? Treat your current situation as if it’s the most wonderful life anyone can ever have. Pretend that others are jealous of you. Love your life with your whole heart.
“Why? What does this accomplish? Isn’t this denial? Isn’t this living in La La Land? Am I not cheating myself?” These questions may pop up in your mind. My answer is, try it! What do you have to lose? How can this hurt? What if it does work? What if this mindset, this abundance consciousness completely transforms your life? Wouldn’t it be such a small price to pay? And the best part is, it doesn’t depend on anything or anyone else in the world! It has certainly worked magic in my own life and the lives of so many people I know. So, go ahead and start living your own life today. After all, it’s the only one you will ever have!
Emil Nazaryan is a motivational writer and a contributor to the monthly Motivational Corner column of HR Realtor Magazine. He has undergone a spiritual transformation which has led the way to sharing the insights he has experienced with the others. He is well acquainted with all major spiritual traditions of the world, but it is the direct experience of the essence of these teachings that is responsible for the altered life outlook and the motivational articles that stem this. In his daily life Emil is a successful REALTOR and he resides in Norfolk, VA, with his wife and two children. Contact him by email at emil.rw@gmail.com.