Yesterday, I
was driving, and the FM radio went off for few seconds. I thought, I should have
an iPod. Then suddenly I realized that I have not used my iPod in last 6 months.
And then more things, Handy cam in last 2 years, Digital Camera in last 2
months, DVD player in last 1 month and many more. Now I can say that I bought
that Handy cam just out of impulse, I have used it twice only in last 4
years.
So, whats
wrong and where? When I look at myself or my friends I can see it everywhere. We
are not happy with what we have but all are stressed and not happy for the
things we don't have. You have a Santro, but you want Honda City. You have a
Honda City, but you want Skoda. Just after buying a new phone, we need another
one. Better laptop, bigger TV, faster car, bigger house, more money. I mean,
these examples are endless. The point is, does it actually worth? Do we ever
think if we actually need those things before we want them?
After this, I
was forced to think what I need and what I don't. May be I didn't need this
Handy cam or the iPod or that DVD player. When I see my father back at home. He
has a simple BPL colour TV, he doesn't need 32" Sony LCD wall mount. He has a
cell phone worth Rs 2,500. Whenever I ask him to change the phone, he always
says, Its a phone, I need this just for calls. And believe me; he is much
happier in life than me with those limited resources and simple gadgets. The
very basic reason why he is happy with so little is that he doesn't want things
in life to make it luxurious, but he wants only those things which are making
his life easier. It's a very fine line between these two, but after looking my
father's life style closely, I got the point. He needs a cell phone but not the
iPhone. He needs a TV but not the 32" plasma. He needs a car but not an
expensive one.
Initially I
had lot of questions. I am earning
good, still I am not happy.......why ? I have all
luxuries, still I am stressed.... ....... why ? I had a great
weekend, still I am feeling tired...... why?
I met lot of
people, I thought over it again and again, I still don't know if I got the
answers, but certainly figured out few things. I realize that one thing which is
keeping me stressed is the stay connected syndrome. I realized that, at home
also I am logged in on messengers, checking mails, using social networks, and on
the top of that, the windows mobile is not letting me disconnected. On the
weekend itself, trying to avoid unwanted calls and that is keeping my mind
always full of stress. I realized that I am spending far lesser money than what
I earn, even then I am always worried about money and more money. I realized
that I am saving enough money I would ever need, whenever needed. Still I am
stressed about job and salary and spends.
May be, many
people will call this approach not progressive attitude, but I want my life
back. Ultimately it's a single life, a day gone is a day gone. I believe if I am
not happy tonight, I'll never be happy tomorrow morning. I finally realized that
meeting friends, spending quality time with your loved one's; spending time with
yourself is the most important thing. If on Sunday you are alone and you don't
have anybody to talk with, then all that luxuries life, all that money is
wasted. May be cutting down your requirements, re-calculating your future goal
in the light of today's happiness is a worthwhile thing to do. May be selling
off your Santro and buying Honda City on EMIs is not a good idea. I believe
putting your happiness ahead of money is the choice we need to make.
I think, a lot
can be said and done but what we need the most is re-evaluation of the value of
happiness and time we are giving to our life and people associated with
it.
Change does
not Happen when Circumstances Improve...... Change happens
when YOU Decide to Improve YOUR circumstances!!!!!!!
