Secret of Happiness #3

Distinguish between wants and needs:

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1

Advertising seeks to make us see our wants as needs.

Our true needs are actually few:

food and water,

air,

clothing and shelter,

and meaningful relationships.

Most things beyond that are wants which we can actually do without.

If we know that we have our actual needs met, and that our wants are actually optional, then we should be able to be more content with what we have.

A sign that we have confused the wants with needs is the often-used statement, "I just have to have it!”  In plane language, we are declaring something to be our idol, which is defined as "something I demand to be happy." Idols never deliver for long, however, and then they become our masters.

One thing my father would say, “Remember, in a few years this is going to end up  on the trash heap!”

Be grateful for your needs being met; accept the extras, but don’t give your heart to them: they will not love you back!

Picture: focusing on wants instead of being thankful leads us here: