The Beauty of Occasional Abundance

 The Beauty of Occasional Abundance

Depending upon our life experiences, each one of us has a different definition of abundance, much of which is learned during childhood. We are taught at an early age to either want for nothing or yearn¹ for more. We learn how to react to those who have much more than us, and we develop our thoughts and attitudes about sharing with the less fortunate. We decide which things we hunger for the most, many times based upon those things that we lacked early in life.

As we grow and develop, we are constantly bombarded by messages regarding wealth, power, money, and greed. Magazines, newspapers, television, and movies all express society’s thoughts regarding such matters, and as time has progressed, we have developed into a more materialistic² society. More emphasis has been placed on the ownership of elaborate possessions and such things as spirituality and family values seem to have been cast aside.

This sets us up for great disappointments, since we are taught that we can never have enough. It leaves us striving to reach an ambiguous and unattainable goal – to have “enough.” Yet there is never any definition of what enough truly is.

Happiness in life and an internal feeling of fulfillment come with the achievement of intangible goals, and sometimes we receive the greatest enjoyment³ out of those actions which help others in need. When we accumulate so much in life in the way of money or personal possessions, it makes it difficult to appreciate those things. However, when we live by more modest means and experience abundance only occasionally, it makes the experience so much sweeter and the enjoyment so much greater. For this reason, our goals of personal development should direct us to a modest lifestyle that allows for true appreciation⁴ of our successes, rather than establishing an unfulfilling expectation of constant abundance.

Find Your Definition of Abundance

To help you accomplish this, look to your childhood. What things did you have during your childhood, and what things did you lack? Are your goals for attaining⁵ personal possessions or power right now based upon those things you did not have as a child? What feelings do those possessions evoke⁶? Determine which feelings regarding materialistic possessions you still carry with you, which ones have transformed, and why certain feelings have changed. By understanding the origins of your feelings regarding possessions, you will be able to make necessary changes that will restore your life to greater balance.

Determine the Cost of Abundance

Having an abundant supply of personal possessions comes at a great cost, and you need to evaluate whether that cost is really worth ownership of such belongings⁷. Cost involves much more than the monetary⁸ aspect of owning personal possessions. Time away from the family, missing your children’s milestones⁹ as they grow, loss of sleep, and deteriorating¹⁰ health are all costs associated with maintaining personal possessions.

There is no doubt we must all provide for our basic needs and the needs of our families, but when the importance of owning possessions eclipses the importance of our own personal health and the well-being¹¹ of our relationships, it is time to reevaluate our values and bring them more in line with reasonable expectations.

Balancing Your Needs with Your Desires

As with most things in life, the best way to achieve happiness is to find a healthy balance. Determine those things you need in life in order to have a comfortable and fulfilled life with your family. Then make a list of your desires – those things above and beyond your basic needs that make your life more comfortable and more enjoyable.

Determine what it would take for you to achieve your basic needs, then determine what you would need to do in order to obtain your desires. Look at the consequences to your personal and emotional well being as a result of attempting to achieve all of your desires.

Finally, balance your lists. When you are setting your goals, ensure all of your family’s needs are met. Then allow for the addition of some of the extras. Ensure you leave yourself personal time for sleep, exercise, and family interaction.

By allowing yourself to experience abundance occasionally rather than pushing to perpetually achieve it, your life will have a greater work life balance. You and your family will have a much greater appreciation for those times when you do get to enjoy life’s little extras, but you will have the proper emotional support and family network to provide you with the greatest satisfactions life has to offer.

1 yearn   

v.想念；怀念；渴望

参考例句：

• We yearn to surrender our entire being.我们渴望着放纵我们整个的生命。
• Many people living in big cities yearn for an idyllic country life.现在的很多都市人向往那种田园化的生活。

2 materialistic   

a.唯物主义的，物质享乐主义的

参考例句：

• She made him both soft and materialistic. 她把他变成女性化而又实际化。
• Materialistic dialectics is an important part of constituting Marxism. 唯物辩证法是马克思主义的重要组成部分。

3 enjoyment   

n.乐趣；享有；享用

参考例句：

• Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同，我们这次访问更加愉快了。
• After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话，这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。

4 appreciation   

n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨

参考例句：

• I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to you all.我想对你们所有人表达我的感激和谢意。
• I'll be sending them a donation in appreciation of their help.我将送给他们一笔捐款以感谢他们的帮助。

5 attaining   

（通常经过努力）实现( attain的现在分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况）

参考例句：

• Jim is halfway to attaining his pilot's licence. 吉姆就快要拿到飞行员执照了。
• By that time she was attaining to fifty. 那时她已快到五十岁了。

6 evoke   

vt.唤起，引起，使人想起

参考例句：

• These images are likely to evoke a strong response in the viewer.这些图像可能会在观众中产生强烈反响。
• Her only resource was the sympathy she could evoke.她以凭借的唯一力量就是她能从人们心底里激起的同情。

7 belongings   

n.私人物品，私人财物

参考例句：

• I put a few personal belongings in a bag.我把几件私人物品装进包中。
• Your personal belongings are not dutiable.个人物品不用纳税。

8 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

9 milestones   

n.重要事件( milestone的名词复数 )；重要阶段；转折点；里程碑

参考例句：

• Several important milestones in foreign policy have been passed by this Congress and they can be chalked up as major accomplishments. 这次代表大会通过了对外政策中几起划时代的事件，并且它们可作为主要成就记录下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Dale: I really envy your milestones over the last few years, Don. 我真的很羡慕你在过去几年中所建立的丰功伟绩。 来自互联网

10 deteriorating   

恶化，变坏( deteriorate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The weather conditions are deteriorating. 天气变得越来越糟。
• I was well aware of the bad morale and the deteriorating factories. 我很清楚，大家情绪低落，各个工厂越搞越坏。

11 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。