The Pursuit of Wealth and Prestige

Today, it's become somewhat normal to continually pursue things that we think will help us feel better.

More money, splashy vacations, a trophy spouse, trophy kids - you name it, the vast majority of us humans chase after these things that the monkey brain tells us will bring security, recognition, and happiness that supposedly comes with.

Ironically, the more we chase after things that we feel will make us happier, if we truthfully look deep within, we know that we aren't any happier or fulfilled.

Why is this? Why is it that people who are financially wealthy are more likely than those who are struggling to experience depression? Why are humans more likely to commit suicide after they have tapped into the trappings of wealth?

I believe the answer boils down to the spirit with which we pursue what we do. If we function with a mindset of scarcity, a feeling that we are fundamentally lacking in major ways, no matter how much we accumulate, the feeling of being lacking remains.

It's easy to dismissively attribute the endless pursuit of wealth and prestige to ego and greed. It's much harder to look deeper and strive to unpack the ways in which we are broken and feeling deficient. But this deep work is essential if we are to overcome some of the less-than-ideal wiring of our genes and environment.

Where to begin? Foster a spirit of gratitude by adopting daily habits and rituals that keep us highly conscious of our blessings. This can be as simple as beginning each day with a few minutes of personal time during which we consider three people and three things that we are genuinely thankful for.

Another helpful ritual is to take a few seconds before we eat or drink anything to express gratitude for what we are about to take in.

The key is to really feel grateful for what is before us. To remind ourselves how lucky we are to be able to shower daily, to have comfortable clothes to wear, to have simple yet priceless gifts like sight, hearing, and being ambulatory.

Walking through life with a spirit of gratitude is a real superpower, maybe the greatest of superpowers, as gratitude travels through the universe alongside selfless love and healing energy that can never be bottled but are accessible to all.

Wherever you are on this planet, I hope that you are feeling grateful to be alive - this is the ultimate answer, isn't it? To be grateful for what we have right now.