I find myself saying ‘If I could only just…’ a lot.
If I could only just find more time to write…
If I could only just have more money…
If I could only just find true love…
It goes on, ad infinitum. But all these things denote that I’m not content, when for the most part, I am. I have my children here with me, we have a roof over our heads, the air inside is warmer than outside, and there is food in the fridge. And I’m keeping up with my writing quite well, although sometimes it’s a struggle to do anything else.
So what is it which makes me wish for more? Is it simply the human condition to keep striving? It’s hard, for me at least, to keep my mind from going, from wandering, and from wondering what it would be like if I had just a little more.
Now if only I could consume nothing but coffee and chocolate and wine and cheese …. then I’d be happy.
What would make you happy?
lindaghill.com 
November 17, 2013 at 12:07 pm
I would like…. a Pulitzer.
That’s about it. I’m pretty happy and content. I have all the major things that I want in life, the rest I’m working toward, and the little things I can add in without much effort. Whenever I’ve wanted something, I work toward it. No regrets, all-in sort of mentality, which has left me rather content.
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November 17, 2013 at 4:40 pm
Yep, there’s nothing wrong with wanting something as long as you’re willing to put in the effort to get it. There’s nothing better than a sense of accomplishment, after all.
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November 16, 2013 at 9:34 pm
What would make me happy is if I were awesome. Wait…I am 😉 A clean apartment fully moved into. Want to remedy that tomorrow. Human nature is to generally be unhappy with what we have and to always want more.
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November 17, 2013 at 4:31 pm
You’re moving during NaNo? That’s going to hit the word count.
And yes, you are awesome. That’s one thing to check off your list. 🙂 Wouldn’t it be better if we didn’t want more though?
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November 17, 2013 at 4:33 pm
Move was beginning of the month. Reason for the slow start. As for not wanting more, it’s the key to happiness, or so they say 😉
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November 17, 2013 at 4:36 pm
I suppose as long as you actually do something about it. Otherwise it’s just frustrating.
So it’s the clean part you’re striving for, is it? I do hate living out of boxes.
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November 17, 2013 at 4:51 pm
And dirty dishes, clothes all over the floor because I didn’t have hangers, boxes of books lying about because I ran out of book shelves 😛 Little things. Well do awesome things, Linda. You already are with the kids and with the blog.
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November 17, 2013 at 5:08 pm
Thanks, Paul. Hope you get things sorted out at your end soon 🙂
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November 16, 2013 at 7:07 pm
I think you have a valid point with the human condition, no matter how much we have or don’t, we always want more or something else. Maybe a life of contentment would drive you nuts…if someone wants to throw a few million my way I would gladly put it to the test…purely for the good of science and humanity of course.
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November 17, 2013 at 4:45 pm
Your altruism knows no bounds.
An excellent book to read on just the subject of ultimate contentment, is “Happiness TM” by Will Ferguson. It’s a hilarious novel.
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November 17, 2013 at 5:21 pm
I’ll check it out. Thanks.
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November 16, 2013 at 6:29 pm
“It’s not having what you want that counts, but wanting what you have,” says the little card I framed. I truly believe that.
So, “if only I could appreciate what I have” is what my if-onlies turn into. Not because I’m so wise or so grateful, but because living in gratuity is the only way to be happy. If only negative stuff leads me to what ifs, which then lead me to anxiety — so …
And yeah, more money, more wine & cheese, more … would surely be nice 😛
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November 16, 2013 at 6:34 pm
That’s an excellent quote, and one we should all live by. I do appreciate everything I have, every day. I think it’s really only if we dwell on the ‘if only’s that we stop getting the best of what we already have out of life.
…but it’s okay to wish for more of the good stuff, right? 😀
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November 16, 2013 at 7:28 pm
I think wishing is crucial 🙂
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November 17, 2013 at 4:41 pm
🙂
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November 16, 2013 at 5:25 pm
My current is ‘if only I didn’t have to leave the house to make a living’. lol
I just keep trusting the universe that all things work together for good and I am where I should be right now.
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November 16, 2013 at 6:22 pm
That’s all we can really do, right?
But believe me, staying at home all the time isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Then again, where I don’t get much of a chance to escape the four walls, some people can come and go as they please… 🙂
I hope you get what you wish for 😀
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November 16, 2013 at 5:24 pm
Yes hindsight is a bigheaded bitch!! If only is a mean bitch … so throw it all out the window and move on! Cheese Wine and Chocolate yes I could live with that!!
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November 16, 2013 at 6:20 pm
I think I covered all the food groups, didn’t I? haha
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November 16, 2013 at 6:31 pm
😉
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November 16, 2013 at 5:18 pm
The outlet to share what I have learned with other people.
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November 16, 2013 at 6:19 pm
I think we have it here, don’t you?
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November 16, 2013 at 4:54 pm
As I’ve got older I realize that if I got most of the things I “coveted” when younger, it would have been a disaster.
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November 16, 2013 at 4:57 pm
Hindsight, eh? You’re right – I’d have a houseful of stuff and probably be too heavy to get off the couch to do anything with it. 😛 And would we have been satisfied? Probably not.
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November 16, 2013 at 4:42 pm
Someone asked what changes I would make to my life once. I thought about that a lot and decided nothing. Every change has an impact on everything else. So it is just easier to be content with the way things are. That doesn’t mean we won’t wish for it to be easier or different. That’s human nature.
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November 16, 2013 at 4:45 pm
I’m sitting here nodding my head. You’re right. Everything does impact everything else. It also makes you think about the choices you made to get where you are, doesn’t it?
Interesting contemplation for a Saturday.
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