5 Lies We Are Told About Living Our Best Life NOW
And What We Can Do About It
I grew up in tough economic circumstances.
It wasn’t that we were poor, but we couldn’t afford many things. In looking back now, as with the use of our present-day economic jargon, we were on the poverty line.
I read a lot.
I read all types of books from magazines to classics and all other genres.
I got lost the most in the classics. It always ended beautifully…well at least most of them.
I realize my sense of the world was shaped by these books.
Most of the time, each party got what they genuinely wanted leading to happily ever after.
As I stood on the cusp of adulthood, I was determined to make a mark and stand out, so many different genres of books said it is possible if you believe it and so I went out and started doing it.
However, as I reflect it is not so easy to achieve the best life you want.
It can be achieved, but the first word to remove is “easy.”
Easy not in meaning you just want it to come to you, but that you put in the work, you research, you prepare and once you work for it, it will just come soon enough is at times a bit cliché.
So, what are some lies we have been told about living the best life -
Money — I grew up not having the necessities of daily living at times. I was determined to grow up and make money to be able to purchase things I needed.
While I can manage my finances. No one mentioned that the things we desire — home, cars, children, will lead to us as quickly as we work and make the money allocating a sizeable portion in paying the loans that arise from getting these things.
Money is not an unending reserve.
While there are various side hustles that can be developed, to afford the lifestyle wanted. There will always be the need to continue to be innovative and find wise investments to allow one to go from working for money to earning residual and passive income.
The journey to building passive income takes time.
It’s not a quick fix and one searching for such is certain to be disappointed, as the very desire to start your own venture will find you working even more than if employed for someone else.
The reward is in time, if you are alive, you will be able to eventually enjoy the payoffs.
Love — Just believe in love and you will get it.
If only that was true.
So many of us have spent time and resources pursuing love. Only to realize the only person who will absolutely love you unconditionally is well — you. If you can learn to even do so.
The romantics painted love beautifully.
Many times, it is the person who you love the most, who can hurt you the most.
Love has ups, downs and in between, and determining to base your happiness on your love life, is surely going to lead to you, having more down moments than up.
Love is beautiful.
However, as in everything else, our personalities, and other life events don’t stand aside for love, they continue to happen in the midst of love, and finding a balance can be overwhelming at times.
Despite all this, we all have an intrinsic need to love and be loved and so having a realistic view of what someone can offer as well as what you can give, will help with balancing life alongside love.
Happiness — happiness is stated here in a relative form.
Growing up, I learnt if you just said you were happy you would be all the time.
Think about yourself.
Somehow unconsciously you expected life to offer up happiness.
Yet at times there is the struggle to be happy.
In this case, it is not situational circumstances I am referring to; it is the general state of being happy.
Somehow our society has tied having money to happiness, yet so many rich in finances people are utterly unhappy.
The telling number of suicides is testimony to this.
You really must decide to be happy, regardless of what may come your way, otherwise if waiting for something or someone to make us happy, we may never be genuinely happy.
Recognition — If you work hard enough one day you will be recognized and rewarded.
If you ask some of the major life changers in history, they have died and gone without even being known far less recognized and rewarded.
The motivation for doing something can’t be steeped in being recognized as you may very well be setting yourself up for disappointment.
Recognition may or may not come.
However, if you feel convinced to do something that could improve the lives of humankind, do it only for that reason, not because you are looking to be remembered via a Google search or a monument.
Death — Growing up I learnt about doing five-year and ten-year plans.
Life was in my control.
It would wait till I had accomplished all I wanted and then I would die.
When my first and dearest friend died, I knew that life wouldn’t orderly line up with my plans.
I have had my fair share of near-death experiences that has changed the trajectory of some life course decisions.
I am sure it is the same for you.
You may have thought that you could determine all the plans and goals you want to achieve and only after doing this, along with going on a cruise and enjoying your 95th plus birthday and more, then on a day predetermined by you, Death would visit you.
It sounds ludicrous you may say.
However, so many of us have thought we are in control of our destiny of death which awaits us all.
It isn’t so.
Every moment we exist should be used to do and pursue what we want to do, because who knows when our last day will be here.
The good news — our best life is possible.
We can do it, but having a realistic view of these five key areas will help through the journey.
These are by no means all the key factors; however, I choose to write about these.
May we still find what we are looking for to create the best life for us now and in the hereafter.
