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''Well gee, THAT'S a mouthful of a confusing title, Corrine.''

Yes! It is! But it was completely inspired by the musical excellence that is King Crimson's Happy With What You Have To Be Happy With, so surely we can forgive it, right?! 

*gulps*

ANYWAY.

Bigger! Better! Brighter! Shinier! Newer! More, more, more!  We tick off goals, lap up the latest models of our beloved technology products hungrily and seem to be CONSTANTLY accelerating towards becoming the greatest, most accomplished, successful version of ourselves that we can possibly be. And this is terrific! But while we're often hurtling along full throttle, focused on the big, delicious picture on the horizon, how regularly do we take a moment to stop and admire the beautiful contents of our current surroundings? 

When you last achieved/received something spectacular, how long did you savour it for? An hour? A day? A few minutes, before thinking ''okay, this garden gnome is FANTASTIC, but I still want/need..''  and quickly reverting back to your mental to-do list? Sure, evolution is splendid, but don't we owe it to ourselves to enjoy the feeling of being truly content with what we already have? Yes! How satisfied can we be if we're flitting from one object or moment to the next? Not very!  

King Crimson, you were spot. on. You do have to learn to be happy with what you have to be happy with! And although you're definitely referring to the ingredients of a song and not a burnt cake, if your sentiment could be applied to life in general, I imagine that it would translate into the following steps:

x Express Gratitude For The Simplest Of Items

There's a bed for you to sleep in! A roof over your head! A tap that will dispense water to you whenever it's required! Pretty nifty stuff, huh?

x Ban Yourself From Making Comparisons To Others And Their Circumstances

So they're living in a penthouse, and you're living with your parents. They've completed three degrees, while you're pondering your next move. They're convinced that satay sauce tastes perfect with a dash of sweet chilli sauce, but you're much more of a tabasco sauce fan. Honestly, stop! Who cares?!  Don't reduce your life and the experiences and knowledge that you possess by comparing it to someone else's, or believe that their choices are superior to yours! (And besides, satay sauce with a splash of tabasco sauce sounds INGENIOUS!)

x Identitify Your Triggers For Goal-Kicking Despondency

Whenever you start to feel as though you're not doing/seeing/owning enough, examine the cause. What triggers you to feel that way? A high-end fashion magazine? Television? A conversation with a neighbour? Perhaps you don't need it?

x Make A List Of Your Monthly Achievements

'''But that would make me feel like a total narcissistic twit!'' You might exclaim. Oh, please. It's not narcissistic to quietly applaud yourself and remember the tremendous things that you've conquered or attended, you know! And it doesn't have to be on display for anyone to see: you could keep a secret notebook and create a list of your weekly/monthly/yearly/lifetime achievements to revel in whenever you're needing a happiness boost, or to refer to when you're full of self-doubt.

♥

Go! Take a look around! Have a peek at your belongings and the life that you're living: is learning to be happy with what you have to be happy with something that deserves a higher priority than your next target? How do you stay content?

xoxo

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