The REAL Secret

My youngest sister talked me into watching The Secret. I'd read up too much on it to really have any interest but because she kept bugging me about it, I rented it via Netflix. And it was everything I'd heard it was. Too much focus on materialism, financial wealth and selfishness. In fact, the only thing that I DID agree with was the whole aspect of positive thinking benefiting our health. Now, this is true. Out of ALL of the reconstructive surgeries I have had and the sicknesses, illnesses, etc., I know from personal experience just how healing positive thinking can be.

That said, I didn't buy it that negative thinking caused negative results and that only positive thinking brings positive results. I mean, look at real life. There are times we all struggle to achieve our goals. And we have doubts. But we keep pushing forward and we never lose faith. And sooner or later, we accomplish the goals, despite having felt doubts and insecurities.

No, the "secret" which that movie is promoting is not the TRUE secret to happiness.

The REAL secret to happiness is this: We don't need to have everything. I am not saying we should have nothing. Of course it's important to have a roof over our heads, clothes to wear and food on the table. But we don't need to have EVERYTHING!

In today's society, there is just so much emphasis on having everything. Having it ALL! More money, more things, more land, more fame. More, more, more. But that's not the secret to happiness. That is not how we can TRULY enjoy our lives. Because if we have everything, there's nothing for us to really value or appreciate.

We need to be happy with what we DO have. We need to be content with our lives, and ourselves. If our lives are bad, we need to change them. But that doesn't necessarily mean that we need to have more. It just means that we need to stop and ask ourselves what it is we really want. And what it is that we really need.