I am happy with what I have, which does not stop me from continuing to aspire for more.

We tend to wait for something more, we believe that when we have a better job, move to another house, travel more frequently or earn more at the end of the month we will know what it means to be happy, and no. If you’re not already, you probably won’t be when all this happens (if it happens) because He who does not know how to enjoy what he already has is condemned to be a slave to his ambition.

This reflection shows us a very common problem, both in people and in situations. We have learned to be ambitious, to want more, to not settle for what we are given and go for something greater, but what do we forget? That the goal is not the summit, that Getting to the top is of no use if we have not enjoyed the views on the way up, because being happy is about being now. Because up, what is up, there is very little time…

When I manage to visualize everything that I am missing from the point where I am now, but I do it with energy for all the path I have traveled, for everything I achieved, to Seeing what I am going to do with desire and enthusiasm brings me closer to happiness. That which is neither above nor below, but with us.

I’m not talking about conformity or limiting myself to my comfort zone, I want more and I know I can get it, but I will face the challenge with a big inspiring smile to contribute more to everything I already have. If I can feel full with what I have and still want more, I will have managed to find the secret key to success, to my success.

Be happy and train positive visualization

In 1967, the Australian psychologist Alan Richardson conducted an interesting experiment that highlighted the power of visualization. In the first phase of the research, he asked the people who were part of his study sample to shoot free throws, recording the number of baskets they made. Subsequently, he divided this group of people into three subgroups: the idea was to study how their shooting technique had changed over the next twenty days.

The first group spent twenty minutes a day training in shooting free throws, the second group did not practice at all, and the third group did not practice either, but its members spent twenty minutes a day visualizing themselves shooting the ball.

After this time, Richardson measured the players’ skill again and found that the first group had improved their shooting performance by 24%, the second did not improve at all and the third group, those who had practiced visualization, improved by 23%.

Another experiment carried out by Daniel Gilbert, a professor at Harvard University, said that we could get twice as much out of the situations that made us happy.. In their experiment, a group of people were invited to a free dinner at a good restaurant. Each one could choose the day they would have dinner. The people who delayed dinner the longest were those who reported greater happiness as a result of the experience: not only did they enjoy the evening, but they also enjoyed thinking about how much fun they were going to have at dinner.

What can we conclude after these experiments? The importance of a good image of ourselves or our experiences projected in the futureachieving objectives, enjoying, setting goals and overcoming challenges will train our brain to make achieving those challenges easier.

It is not, as some theories claim, that by wanting something more strongly we are closer to achieving it. What brings us closer to the goal is mentally rehearsing the procedure to get to the place we want.. This is something that athletes who run speed events know very well: in the warm-up they mentally rehearse the start over and over again, they visualize it.

Does what you already have make you happy?

We can spend our entire lives searching for happiness like someone who searches for metals hidden in the sand on the beach or sifts through the sand in search of gold nuggets. We can just do this or try to find a balance, in which our dreams but also positive emotions count. Those emotions that emanate from the positive when we stop to look at what we have achieved.

This balance will not only make us feel better in the present, but will also make it easier for us to take our aspirations in a different way. It will make it easier for us to begin to see them as something desirable, but also accessible and not essential.. It will not stop motivating us in our progress, but it will mitigate the impact that setbacks may have. Can you think of something that has more value to be happy?

Being happy with what we already have is a challenge and part of the basis of our happiness. If we want to go further, go ahead, but understanding that it is not essential to be happier. Because otherwise, we run the risk of always wanting more and more to feel complete. Aspirations are positive and healthy as long as they do not become obsessions. If we achieve them it will be an achievement, but if we do not achieve them… we will have learned along the way.

Therefore, being happy with what we have is not synonymous with not being able to want more. However, we must not lose sight of the fact that happiness is not “out there”, but lies within us. In this way, we will never lose sight of the horizon and we will not allow ourselves to be hypnotized by a superficial and ephemeral shine. As you all know: “Virtue is in the middle”.

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