4 Reasons We Want to Escape from Our Lives, and What to Do about It
Are you always thinking about the weekend, especially on Mondays? I got to thinking about this quote from author and entrepreneur Seth Godin: “Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you should set up a life you don't need to escape from.”
With that in mind, here are four reasons we want to escape from our lives and what to do about it:
1. Boredom – When we are not fulfilled, we get bored. We settle, we compromise, we waste. The alternative is to pay attention to what satisfies and pursue it. Don’t give up! Let your actions match your higher vision rather than reducing. Squandering is a mark of unhappiness. Instead, invest and reap greater returns.
2. Meaning – If life doesn’t have meaning, it’s probably because we’ve lost our sense of purpose, which in turn deadens passion. We’re aimless. The antidote: Determine how you want your life to count and do it.
3. Pain – Pain may be the toughest symptom to deal with. There’s a feeling of losing control which leads us to fight or flight options. But if we think about natural illnesses or injuries, usually ignoring the symptom doesn’t work. Time, attention and a careful response lead to healing. So it is with our lives, as well.
4.Comparison – Often we want to escape because it seems like that’s what everyone else is doing, and we’re convinced that we’re missing out. Most of the time, however, we don’t know why people do what they do. Context is essential. Getting away might sound nice, but how does that help overall? If we knew the truth about others, we might decide we don’t want to be in there shoes, after all.
The heart behind Dreaming Made Simple is to help you design your life in such a way that you look forward to it. What do you want to make of your life? What do you want to do? What do you want more of?
Spend some time jotting those thoughts down. Leave a comment with your thoughts. As Thoreau wrote, “Things do not change; we change.” What are you going to do differently?