Let’s talk about how to change our lives. Perhaps the “If only I had more money” mentality complicates our lives. So, today, I’ll talk about the reason.
Simplifying and complicating
In the previous article (in this article), I mentioned that simplifying allows us to be more creative. In other words, if we want to reduce the difficulty of our lives, one way is to simplify what we need. If we simplify what elements are necessary for our lives, we could be able to find other ways to create them.
For example, our lives are usually complex. We usually want many things. At such a time, if we find that freedom is the most satisfying element of our lives, we can take measures. We could try to get freedom in various ways. And we can reduce the resources that we spend on things that don’t matter. Such clarity gives us hints on how to make it.
But sometimes, we think, “If only I had more money.” This is also simple. It looks like simplification at a glance. Sometimes, it could not be just money but anything valuable, such as status, honor, skill, network, courage, beauty, age, academic background, and so on. “If I had more of this, I would be happy,” we can easily say. It looks simple.
But these are not simplifications. I can say that these things complicate our lives.
The true elements of our happiness
The reason is simple. Money, status, and others are not elements of our happiness. These are the methods for exchanging something. What we want is something that can be exchanged for money.
For example, if we had a lot of money, we would be able to buy a peaceful house near the sea. In this case, what we want may be a peaceful house or living place, not money. Or, if we had a lot of money, we would be able to buy food and be alive in the future. But in this case, what we want could be a mind without anxiety about the future. Money and status are meaningless on their own.
So I can say that they are not simplified elements of our happiness. “Elements” means “what it just satisfies.”
“Exchange ways” is difficult to alternate
And I can say that such “if only I had more money” thoughts complicate our lives. In other words, we find it difficult to be creative. Because it is difficult to find other ways.
For example, if we want a “peaceful living place,” we can find various places. Not only in a seaside house but also in the mountain, in the forest, lakeside, suburban, and so on.
But if we want an “exchange way” like money, it’s difficult to find other ways. Perhaps it can alternate with other valuable “exchange ways” such as status, skill, and so on. But chasing them itself doesn’t fulfill us because what we want is a “peaceful living place.”
And if we concentrate on such “exchange ways,” I feel that it’s difficult to see other ways to get what we want, like our “peaceful living place.”
To find other paths
So I think that the people who say, “If only I had more money,” tend to feel difficulty in their lives. And they come to be unable to see other paths.
On the other hand, if we simplify appropriately what we want, in my opinion, sometimes we could easily find other new ways.
From my perspective, it could be easy and affordable to get in many cases. Because I think that it’s not too complicated to fulfill our lives. We are only one of many animals and living things. I feel that what many living things desire is not so complicated.
What living things desire seems simple. For example, sometimes we may realize that “I just wanted to drink water to satisfy my thirst.” We have such “thirsts.” I think that we can fulfill it with some affordable water, even if we cannot drink expensive fruit juice.
Or sometimes we may realize that “I just wanted to live honestly with myself.” I think that our confusion about what to pursue makes our lives complex and difficult.
Conclusion
So I think that the “If only I had more money” mentality complicates our lives. It looks like simplification at a glance. But it is not essential to our happiness.
If we simplify appropriately, we can sometimes easily find other new ways to fulfill our lives. I think that’s creativity for our lives.
If we understand this, we might be able to change our lives more easily.
Thank you for reading this article. I hope to see you at the next one.
