Money != Happiness

"Well if you think money won't buy you happiness, hell, you ain't ever been to Reno" ~Stumpy in the movie Out Cold.

"Oh they say I come with less
Than I should rightfully possess
I say the more I buy the more I'm bought
And the more I'm bought the less I cost" ~Joe Pug

Money is this funny double-edged sword. You need it to survive in modern day society, yet it is so coveted by many it often becomes addicting to hoard as much as possible. Months ago I had a conversation with a friend while running about this very topic. We agreed that the amount of money you have or material items you own only affects happiness until a certain point. Where exactly that tipping point is, who knows, but we believed it to be not that far above the poverty line. All I know is that attitude and appreciation of life outside of work and money is probably the biggest factor of happiness in my opinion. With the average person, it's a humanistic instinct to consume. In this era, the more money you have, the more you can consume. Sure, some of this added consumption with higher income may be beneficial to your general healthiness and well-being. You may buy healthier food, fix your dilapidated house, buy proper footwear to go hiking, donate to a charity you align with. Often you'll find that people will just buy things to fill their budget. I am close with many upper-middle class folks in their 20s and 30s. A couple of them live as if they make a fraction of what they really bring home, but the majority find things to spend their extra cashflow on. To be honest, and for the sake of making my point, those couple people who live simply despite their income level are two of the most satisfied, fulfilled individuals I know. The difference here is attitude. Others that live off of very little by necessity, but certainly enough to live, are also generally fulfilled. Sure, nobody is a cheerful cupcake 100% of the time, but the overall demeanor is generally on the positive side. Others have the attitude that they could always use just a little bit more money, no matter what they make currently. It's like a drug addiction in a way, and is a classic way to lead yourself down the golden road of dissatisfaction. Getting money and material items may get you a short high, but will always leave you wanting more. Trim the fat and use what you have left wisely. Simplifying will make you rich in other ways.

Who am I?

I'm not entirely certain that I've ever answered the question: Who am I? I rarely reflect, particularly on myself but below is a stream of consciousness - without much filter - of how I perceive myself.

I am a son, a brother, a grandson, a nephew and a cousin. I'm a friend to some, but an acquaintance to many more. I'm a boyfriend and a lover. I'm a coworker. I'm an energetic, passionate 28 year-old male who strives to be genuine to those around him with the hopes that this attribute will be reflected in others. Being fit is a big part of my life but having fun staying fit is bigger. I love to play. I love to show others little known places to experience nature. I'm a maven of sorts. I love sharing little jewels in life whether it be a good deal, a great shortcut, a hidden waterfall or a great view. I'm absolutely in love. I'm thrifty, but money isn't important to my happiness. I'm a big fan of simplifying my life to what's truly important to me. I'm a big planner. I love planning trips, events, adventures, but I've learned to be flexible because letting life take you on some side streets you didn't expect to be on is way more fun than always knowing what's going to happen. I'm hairy. I'm a fan of music but I know nothing about how it's made. I enjoy a good microbrew or a glass of Spanish Rioja wine. I love random crazy ideas and acting on them. I'm a doer. I love to take action on something and can organize how the vision is going to be acted out. I love having fun with friends but am sometimes still socially awkward with large groups of new people. I have trouble communicating and expressing myself occasionally. I tell really long stories. I have a distinctively deep voice. I always love learning, many times it's what keeps me going. I love the outdoors and try to spend as much time possible outside. I'm a thinker. I can be quiet and sometimes enjoy being reclusive. I love and cherish life. I'm learning to love and cherish those around me more. I'm very perceptive of people, objects, mannerisms and feelings but rarely voice my perceptions. I appreciate honesty more than anything. I get very excited about new ideas. I'm sometimes too practical for my own good. I'm open minded, but know what I stand for and what I want. I'm getting much better at extracting what others want (from me, life, to eat, etc), but still have a little ways to go. I sometimes like bragging about achievements whether they be mine or others close to me, but sometimes it comes out after feigned modesty. I love efficiency. I'm learning to relax. I can be very even-keel in a crisis, but that doesn't mean I don't care. I often show up casually late, but others causing me to be late is a big pet-peeve. I'm a utilitarian cyclist. I do like to dance even though I'm a novice at body shaking. I often whistle a lot when I'm happy. I sing while I'm alone on my bike. I can be selfish, but recently have come to learn the appropriate time to do that and embrace selflessness more. I like giving to those who deserve it and have a hard time giving to those who don't. I like proof and am skeptical of faith. I am capable of resisting temptation to just about anything, but am able to distinguish when a temptation will improve my quality of life. I like taking photographs with unique perspectives. My level of insecurity fluctuates, but I'm decent at portraying confidence. I like giving people the benefit of the doubt that I've never met. I have trouble trusting people will do what they say, but prefer trusting action rather than words. I advocate utilitarianism and transcendentalism. I am rebellious. I don't take kindly to controlling personalities. I like making people smile. I have abnormally long eyelashes for a male. I'm fairly open. I am a liberal. I don't like being sedentary. I have trouble pronouncing the word "wolf". I often judge people after five minutes of meeting them. Food is important in my life, but I don't love spending a long time cooking, though I'm learning to. I have a big heart for those close to me. I love life. I like to think I have a unique knack for knowing when someone I meet is special and keeping them in my life if possible. I enjoy overcoming fears. I like taking risks, but am careful that they are calculated risks. I am a young man who enjoys being.

Change

Change. So many people are afraid of it, yet it is the driving force behind progression in this world. We change as people. We change as a country. We change as a society. Portraying change is sometimes harder than one would think. A person, country or society must be perceptive in order to notice. Some people go on living without much change at all. Therefore they don't notice that others are changing around them as easily. A perfect example are the people who you haven't kept up with regularly and see occasionally. Many times their view of you is representative of the period of time in which you were closest. Many of us hope to develop as human beings and strive to progress forward as better people, friends, lovers and family members. Thus the perspective they have may contain a negative connotation to you and while it's a big part of who you are, it's not a complete representation of who you are currently.

Change is also something many people fear. It's takes a conscious effort to be active in your life. It takes a lot of politics, games and a bit of good luck to change as a country. Societal change is a more natural progression as groups of people change the way they live, communicate, dress, etc; often times as a means to simplify or take the path of least resistance. Regardless, we maintain an innate ability as humans to fear change. The corrupt and intelligent (::cough:: Fox News as one example ::cough::) know how to take advantage of this fear. Change in personal life is tough. I've watched many friends sweat profusely during their wedding, listened to many people routinely complain about their job and take no action, and have spoken to many strangers about the fear of death. To some it's the fear of the unknown. Let's face it, life's easier when we know what's going to happen everyday. It's also gets boring and monotonous. Figuring out what makes you happy and what doesn't make you happy is the first step towards change. Taking action on it is the toughest part sometimes. It can also be the most rewarding.