Success without Money?

How to Have a Successful Life without Money or Fame
posted April 13, 2016

Ask the wealthy–money and fame doesn’t always equate to happiness. The reason is simple, if you’re not happy with yourself, and can not appreciate the simplest things in life, joy will escape you. I know people who have more than most, some who’ve had money and access since birth, but they are miserable.
They’re nasty to others, selfish, bitter, and some have no people skills. They wonder why they can’t find love, or can’t seem to find happiness. No matter what you have, eventually it is not enough—the road then becomes very lonely. You can’t escape you and you can’t wrap arms around fame. We do need to have needs met and experience achievement—it s necessary. This is not about the essentials, and living a Hollywood dream life seen on television.
It comes down to simple joys, and building a foundation of happiness. Wealthy people struggle just the same with relationships the American Psychological Association found. They worry about schools– kids being independent, or being treated badly by others since they were born into money. They also were concerned if their children would be truly loved by others, not for their money, or what they could do for them.
“They worried that if their children have enough money and don’t have to worry about covering the mortgage, what will motivate them? How will they lead meaningful lives? This is where the money might get in the way and make things confusing, not necessarily better, ” APA cited.
“Very few said they hoped their children made a lot of money, and not many said they were going to give all the money to charity and let their kids fend for themselves. They were, however, really interested in helping their children figure out how they could live a meaningful life.”
Author Maya Angelou shared to make an effort to make people feel good. “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
People who give are happier! It gets your mind off yourself, and allows you to serve others who may be less fortunate than you. You don’t need money to do this, but you may have the time. Did you know that giving releases oxytocin? This is a feeling of happiness and joy. There is more to this giving thing.
Elite Daily reporter John Haltiwanger reported it is also a survival instinct. “Generosity is, in part, a survival instinct. Even the simple act of sharing food or shelter with another person is an example of humanity’s intrinsic generosity. If we were an overwhelmingly selfish species, we would’ve gone extinct a long time ago.”
The Mayo Clinic reported 10 percent of people base happiness on external circumstances. Change that around. Get out and be grateful. Counting your blessings will re-frame your thoughts into a better direction—more positive one. Being thankful is healthy, and once you get started there is a momentum. Make this a habit that can stick as a good attitude can make life entirely better. Being thankful will give you a peace of mind, help with depression, and could help loneliness. Also, gratitude can boost the immune system. Injustice is a part of life. We need to accept that we can’t control everything in the world or in our lives.
Adapting to this is imperative to happiness and joy. It takes practice, but like anything else you can be happy in negative circumstances. We don’t like to surrender when life is spiraling out of control. Psychology Today explained to
“Your ability to control your own mind is diminished by seeking to control others and the circumstances. Indeed, a critical element in developing mental control is a willingness to accept whatever outcomes you are dealt. If you cannot fully accept your outcomes–including, for example, the presence of a toxic boss, or poor health–you will not be able to interpret these outcomes in a positive light, and hence, you cannot be happy.”
First lady Eleanor Roosevelt said it best: “He who loses money, loses much; he who loses a friend, loses much more; he who loses faith, loses all.”
Something to really think about.