Pinterest is one of the newest raves to be sweeping households across America. While it isn’t quite as popular as Facebook, many who have signed on are addicted and live to tell others about the recipes, projects, and new styles they have tried as a result. Pinterest is a giant bulletin board. You can use virtual push-pins to “pin” anything on the Internet to your board. Ever been surfing the web and see a hairstyle or car you really like, only to not be able to find it again when you needed it? Ever planned a wedding and looked on the Internet for food or decorating or hair ideas, only to never stumble on the website again when it was time to get to work on the big day? Pinterest solves that problem. See something on the web you like, pin it to your board, go back later when you are ready to take action, and there it is! No more trying to remember the web address or bookmarking every page in your browser. Everything has a picture with it and can be catalogued on different “boards” labeled anything from “Books to Read” to “Main Dish” recipes to “My Style.”
There is one glaring problem with Pinterest (there is more than one problem, but only one for this article). You can see what other people are pinning. In some ways this is great. You can get some really fantastic ideas by seeing what other people have or like. But, it can also become a never-ending chase to keep up with the Joneses. It reminds you of the things you don’t have and puts in front of you potentially hundreds of things you want and may feel incomplete until you have them. Add in to this equation the hours (yes, hours) spent pinning and looking at other peoples’ pins, and you are not only discontent with what you have, you are less productive because you’ve spent hours simply wishing for things you’ll never have. Here are five helpful tips for you to be happy with what you have instead of wishing you had more:
Count your blessings
If we really stop to think about all the things we have, we realize how blessed we truly are. For many of us, we have our health, we have loving families, we have jobs, and we have children and spouses and other loved ones who love us in return. Instead of focusing on what you don’t have, take inventory of what you do have and then be grateful.
Think of how hard you worked to get what you have
Take pride in the fact you have worked to earn the money to pay for the house you live in. Be proud of how much effort you have put forth to provide for your family. One way to help you with this is to pay cash for anything you buy. It makes you appreciate how hard you worked and helps you do a quick evaluation on whether or not the purchase is really worth all your effort. You may not have everything, but odds are you have enough to meet your basic needs.
Remember, you have enough to meet your basic needs
Your mom probably said something like this when you didn’t want to eat your green beans: “There are little boys and girls in Africa who are starving and don’t have this good food to eat.” She was right then and she’s still right today. In America, we often confuse needs with wants. We talk about how we need a new car or we need a new outfit, when, if we are honest, we only want those things. If we have enough food to eat, shelter, clothes to wear, and water, we are doing pretty good compared to people living in third world countries.
Remember, how you talk about whatf you have and don’t have teaches those around you the value you place on things
For many of us, our children are watching us and how we treat our “things.” If we whine (and, yes, adults do whine) about what we don’t have or talk about how much better things would be if we had _____________________, they WILL adopt that same type of perspective and attitude. We all know how annoyed we get when we work hard to provide for our kids and never feel like it’s good enough. They had to learn that attitude somewhere (TV and social media are to blame here as well). Let’s be sure they didn’t learn it from us.
Look at the real reasons behind your discontent
If you get focused on something and feel as if you have to have it to be happy, ask yourself how having that thing will truly make you happy. Think about Christmas when you were a child. You dreamed about having a certain bike or toy and thought all your dreams would come true and you’d be the coolest, happiest kid around if you got that gift from Christmas. Do you still have that gift? Probably not. In fact, after the newness wore off (possibly days or even hours after opening the gift), you were asking your parents for something different. Will your problems in your dating life really all be solved if you get that hip haircut? Will you be satisfied with your home if you get that new seating area made out of repurposed pallets? Probably not. Examine what is really going on behind your wants. It may be a deeper dissatisfaction that a new recipe that wows your friends won’t fix. If that’s the case, you might consider talking with someone (a wise friend, pastor, or counselor) to help you learn to be happy with what you have and who you are.