So, six months ago I discovered that my definition of happiness was incorrect. For my entire life, I only ever wanted one thing and that was to be a successful businessman, the day I closed my business down and admitted failure was probably the hardest and saddest day of my life.
From that misery and sorrow came a new feeling, like a phoenix being born from the ashes of everything I had lost. I was now a failure! but nothing changed, my family still loved me and my friends were still my friends. I know in my heart now that my family and friends will always be there, my children still love me and my wife still stands at my side, from that experience I learnt that I don't need much to live a happy life and that failure is only a lesson. When you realise you already have everything, and everything is the people in your life that changes the game and the rules we believe true.
Life is a series of lessons some are easy some are hard, some may seem right and others wrong. In the end, they lead you through a life of your own design. We like to blame others for our shortcomings and take all the credit for our successes but often its the other way round.
When you realise that your success comes from the people you surround yourself with, not your personal achievements. Happiness comes from relationships with the people that surround you and the experiences you share together, not things you show off to people who mean nothing to you. When you understand this and embrace these people you will start to feel better and happier and more motivated than ever, to pursue your ambitions whatever they may be.
Since I stopped thinking about myself and start thinking about those around me, my mood and positivity elevated to levels I have never experienced in my life to date. I have never considered myself an optimist or a people person before I discovered this mindset, but I do now I feel so positive and so connected to people, not just my close circle of friends and family but the broader network of people that I come in contact with every day.
After stripping my life of the material things that I coveted before I never had time to think about my relationships, I did not think of what I contributed to them and what I took from them, as they all were second to my blind ambitions.
Minimalism opened my eyes to what I was wasting my life chasing but the people in my life, who I love changed my life. I'm happy now and I believe it because I'm now open to happiness. I look for meaning in everything I do, I try to connect with all the people I come into contact with on a daily basis, even if it is just to stop say how are you and take in the response with interest and consideration.
If I could teach my children one thing it would be. Stop thinking that having more of anything will make you happy. Happiness is created by people and the relationships you form it is in our biology, it is as important to our body as eating and exercising. Eat the right food and exercise and your body will thrive eat the wrong food and be lazy and you will become weak and sluggish. Relationships are the same full your life with good people be kind and considerate to all and you will be rewarded with happiness treat people badly and surround yourself with people who treat you badly and you will be miserable.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post as always I use this blog to get my learning for my own life experiences I hope you have enjoyed reading this post.
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