How much do we need? how much is more than required? where do you draw the line? should you draw a line at all? I’ve asked myself these questions from time and again. But, we live in a age of abundance – be it information or material comforts – that drawing the line becomes very difficult; there is too much good out there to hold our reins and be in control. The only thing we dont have is: time – the great determiner – more experience? or more quality of experience?
We are in the best times possible in history. We have everything today. The future looks optimistic. But, are we as happy if not more than our ancestors were? Too much to choice, of alternatives have created a paradox. instead of driving up satisfaction, it pulled it down. Then, what is the answer? – limit ourselves – say ‘enough’.
Can we do that?
How much will guarantee happiness? Is there any fixed limit? No, the answer is upto us. The more we want, the more we have – the more we commit, the more we promise to ourselves – the more psychological pressure we put on ourselves to fulfill/enjoy them – The more the pressure to enjoy, the less we enjoy. The more we have, the more we want, the more we question if we are making the best use of our time – and once we doubt our choices, happiness evaporates into thin air. What can we do it? Control the sensory overload: Instead of choosing 5-10 different hobbies, choose 1-2; instead of watching 100 movies (to see before you die), watch 2; instead of reading all the book worth reading about, read 5, and enjoy them; instead of buying in excess, buy what you need – spare yourself the guilt of not making the best use of what you have and remind yourselves that there will always be something left out, to see/visit/read or enjoy – we cannot do it all.
So, what do we do? Focus on what makes you tick, what makes you get up in the morning, what puts a smile on your face, focus on a few things which makes us ‘us’, and stick to them – in brief: ‘find yourself in the moment’. That’s the only answer to this madness of more.
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