I am guilty of using this term ” Republic of Not Enough ” many a times on this blog. Probably an outcome of observing people (yours truly included) unwilling to look up from our ” ledger of lack “. Big Tech and their well( or is it veil) crafted algorithms nudging you perennially into FOMO( Fear of Missing Out) mode, never lets you off the hook.
If perfect (in lieu of being content) is the default expectation dancing in our heads all the time, it is an unattainable destination that is rarely reached taking us down the rabbit hole of wanting more in comparison to someone else, as what you are whining about is that you never have enough.
The only thing that whining or complaining does is to convince other people that you are not in control. Helpful? Far from it. And for all those who are under the mistaken impression that whining burns calories, sorry to disappoint you..it doesn’t!!
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are far more blessed than the million plus people who will not survive this week. If you can read this blog then you are far more fortunate than the millions who cannot read it at all. Are you ready to compare now?
Nobody is going to invite you and say ‘ here’s some cheese to go with your whine “- Whining, at best, is a symptom, it’s rarely a cure for anything. So, you know what to opt out of!
We are all fellow travelers in the hedonic treadmill. The hedonic treadmill( or hedonic adaptation) is the idea that an individual’s level of happiness, after rising or falling in response to positive or negative life events, ultimately tends to move back toward where it was prior to these experiences. Leading to the never ending pursuit for more. Exactly what big brands tap into- the attraction of ‘ the thrill of the chase “- the shiny new object syndrome.
So, time to step off the hedonic treadmill. Elimination and subtraction is a powerful proxy to make progress. So is discomfort. But the jury seems to be still out on that since we live in the ‘Republic of Not Enough‘ and ‘more‘ is the operative four letter word.
Comparison is an act of violence against the self. It is a thug that robs your joy. So, where are you headed?