“Better.”
“More.”
“Higher.”
These words have become the fuel of our life’s engine. And they are available in plenty.
“Oh, you ran a 12km marathon. Great, now aim for 25km.”
“Wow, you became the Director. Now it’s time to look up to be the Partner.”
“You got married. Now plan a baby.”
“You bought a house. That’s great. Now make it beautiful.”
“You lost 3 kgs. Now aim for 10.”
“You secured a bonus of 10k. Awesome. Now work harder and grab 15k.”
How often have you heard sentences similar to these?
We are always on the move; always looking for the next bigger thing to achieve. It’s a good thing to keep aiming for higher goals. It gives you the drive to improve yourself. Some may even say that if we don’t have anything to look forward to then we are as good as a dying plant. However, it often causes numbness in our hearts. It makes us lose touch with the moment. It makes us focus on the future rather than cherishing the present. It’s like we are feeding an illusion rather than getting the nourishment from the present that we created with so much effort.
I am not denying that we shouldn’t be aiming for the next-big-thing. But we are caught up in this endless circle. We should allow ourselves to take a break, cherish the moment and then continue forward. Life is not a sprint; it’s a marathon on a relay track.
When was the last time you celebrated your promotion without thinking about added responsibilities that came with it?
When was the last time you cherished the feeling of buying a house, a car, or even something that you had wanted for a long time? How long did the feeling last?
When was the last time you were happy with the salary negotiations you did in your interview even though the final numbers were what you had expected?
When was the last time you let your kid play in the bathtub and enjoyed his giggles? How long did it take for your mind to go from enjoying the moment to pushing him to get ready so that you can get on with other chores?
We fail to enjoy our achievements as much as we should. Rather than celebrating and cherishing those moments of glory, we start planning for our next move. We are constantly trying to keep our lives on the road, hoping that maybe someday there will come a destination that would be it! But I am sorry to say that in this infinite universe, there is no dearth of “it” places. You will always find more to do, to be, and to achieve.
Cherish the moments, rather than focusing on “the next-big-thing to achieve.”
Relax.
Smile a lot more.
Bask in your glory.
Be at peace with your breath.
Savor the warmth of that morning cup of coffee or tea.
Observe your children’s laughter and the constant curiosity in their eyes and actions.
Feel how your skin feels against the cool breeze.
Let the sun shine on your face.
Let the breeze play with your hair.
And while you are letting these moments happen, be!
You are the only big thing.
And do you know why? Because you matter, not the next-big-thing!
shraddhanyati 