WHAT IS ENOUGH?

I love this cartoon from John Kane – There are two mice both on their own wheels. The first mouse is running as fast as it can spinning its wheel. The second mouse is just sitting on its wheel content and relaxed. The caption underneath says, “I had an epiphany”.

This is such a great metaphor for how a lot of us live our lives. Too many of us are striving, grasping, always wanting more, believing we never have enough. We are hooked on the wheel running around continually putting off finding true happiness with “ifs” and “whens’ – I’ll do this when, I’ll do it if…  

But what about the second mouse – he is content. He knows enough is enough. He is happy with what he already has.

When you realise you have enough, you are no longer on the hamster wheel. Knowing the meaning of enough gives you a feeling of calmness, powered by the fact that you have been released from desire and the need to compare yourself to others.

There’s a story in the book, Stillness Is The Key by Ryan Holiday, that exemplifies this. It’s about the writers Kurt Vonnegut and Joseph Heller who went to a party at the magnificent home of a billionaire. Vonnegut questioned Heller about how it felt to realise that the person who hosted the party had possibly earned more that exact day than Heller’s book, Catch-22, had made in its entire history. Heller answered by saying that he had something the billionaire would never have, which is the understanding that he had enough. What Heller meant was that he was content with what he had accomplished. If you see yourself desiring for more, remember Heller’s contented acceptance of enough.

Do you have enough?

STEP 1 – MEDITATE

Practising meditation and mindfulness can help you reach contentment and step off the wheel and see that what you want is already there. You are just looking in the wrong place. 

STEP 2 – IMAGINE IF YOU LOST EVERYTHING

The Stoics said you should appreciate and be grateful for what you have. A quick way to see the power of this is to try and understand what your life would be like if you did not have the things in your life like family, friends, a pet, hot showers, a roof over your head, and so on.

My book, Walking Back To Happiness: The Secret To Alcohol-Free Living & Well-Being is packed with over 70 exercises or steps you can take to improve your well-being and happiness, it’s a blueprint of how to live your best life! https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nigel-Jones/e/B0B7RP6LH6/

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If you are interested in self-development, habit change or of taking a break from alcohol then book a coaching Discovery Call with me. https://calendly.com/9kmby9am/30minchemistrysession

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