Today I am reflecting on the ways that I have spent my life in search of peace and happiness, I have tried purchasing cars, and many other items that were supposed to give me the inside track to feeling peace, and ultimately happiness. I even purchased the computer that I am using now, that Apple proclaimed would change my productivity, and lifestyle from their website. I have enjoyed the computer, but it didn’t do anything more than any other functioning computer could do. As far as the cars, or other items all these still failed to make me “happy or feeling of peace”. I even spent a large part of my adult life as the “party guy”, that enjoyed good food and drink but that still didn’t make me happy either. I did enjoy the experiences that I have had with friends and family but not hangovers, or loss of function by the end of a big party night. I still observe younger people chasing the material items, or the search of the ultimate party spot, so I don’t think I am outdated with this path that I traveled.

Now that I discovered that I am not the huge “party guy”, or I won’t win with the “most toys”, as I have seen others proclaim is the source of their happiness.

I would like to cover the source of my own happiness, and peace, which is putting others first. This is an concept much like holding the door for someone allowing them to pass by first, but I work to achieve this for everything. Believe me this is hard in a competitive environment, to help others win, such as promoting a coworker’s accomplishments. Not fighting for that really primo parking spot, or allowing someone to go first in traffic. Why do I think this is important in my happiness journey? For me this allowed me to focus on others that brought me a great deal of peace, without the competitive nature of always having to have that win.

When I have learned that someone has a fancy new car, or a bigger house that I need to be genuinely happy for them, but that is not a signal that I need a new car or house. What I need is time to spend with others that I enjoy their company, and hope that we can have a wonderful new experience together.

Why would I be competitive about journeys that others are traveling, comparing them to my own to see who is more successful, and how can I, when we are destined for two different locations?

For me this was great power in not trying to keep up with the “Jones” to show that I am successfully navigating life, I watch people go into serious debt trying outperform each other, when I have found the only person I need to outperform is myself yesterday. If you don’t think I am successful this is your opinion, and I completely understand that you don’t understand what my version of success will look like.

In my life I have found that always putting others first has great rewards for me, and I have found that I don’t need the latest material, electronic, or vehicles to make me happy. For me the act of finding peace is intertwined in spending time with those who are truly interested in me, rather than a competition to see who dies with the most toys or the coolest gadgets.

Thanks again for reading my posts, and I am hopeful that my hard learned experiences could help someone not make the same mistakes that I have in your search for an happier life.