[2023-01-03] Happiness is the new rich
This message from the Power of Positivity came up in my social media feed the other day:
Happiness is the new rich.
Inner peace is the new success.
Health is the new wealth.
Kindness is the new cool.
As a cancer survivor and retiree, this speaks to me. When I read these words, I think:
Being rich means nothing if we are unhappy.
Being successful is meaningless if we are filled with inner turmoil.
Being wealthy counts for little if we are unhealthy.
Being cool is short-lived if we are unkind.
That's not to say that there's anything wrong with being rich, successful, wealthy or cool. It's only a problem when the external trappings of prosperity are belied by internal strife: the unhappy rich person, the distressed successful person, the unhealthy wealthy person, or the unkind cool person.
If we can be rich and happy, successful and peaceful, wealthy and healthy, cool and kind, we are likely to be living a very good life.
Sometimes success in one area of our lives, such as our career, requires sacrifices that negatively impact other areas of our lives, such as our family. I experienced this in my final position, which required long hours and extraordinary effort, though I knew this would be the case when I accepted the job. My life wasn't balanced during the four years I was an assistant deputy minister of communications. I was successful but not at peace. I earned more money but ultimately became unhealthy. Fortunately, for most of my time in the job (before the pandemic hit), I was also very fulfilled, even happy. And I remained kind (or strove to do so), despite the pressures of the position.
The reminder in the brief passage quoted above is to strive for balance, which I know is easier said than done. But if we can be rich without becoming unhappy, successful without sacrificing our peace, wealthy without becoming unhealthy, cool without being unkind, our lives will be in harmony. And if we can't have all that, then may we have happiness, peace, health and kindness. Ultimately, these are the things that will sustain us.
