People tend to pay attention or get frustrated by what we do not yet have. We think that because of these shortcomings we are not happy.
That's why today I want to invite you to think the opposite, regardless of what you think you lack. All today, we are or have, something wonderful that we enjoy. It could be being alive, healthy, some or all of your five senses to see, hear, smell, taste, or touch; some cute physical feature, face, body, legs, hair. Something charming about your personality, your values, a passion, a home, a job, also a family, someone special, a good friend, a pet; In short, what I want to propose is that you think for a moment about what your life would be like if what you have today and enjoy so much were about to end or simply did not exist.
In this sense, I would like to share with you a very interesting experience that I recently had with my children. In the United States, the daily routine is experienced at great speed. So, every night before going to sleep, my children and I take about 20 minutes to talk about some situation or problem that they may have, solve doubts or concerns, read about some interesting topic and share opinions, or simply give thank you for all the blessings we enjoyed and the positive or growth experiences of the day.
One of these nights, I asked my children: “what would you like to be when you grow up?” and without thinking too much, my son Gabriele, 11 years old, replied, “I want to be rich”. I confess that at the time I was a little taken aback by the answer. Clearly, I was expecting something different. However, it seemed to me that life offered me a valuable opportunity that I could not miss. I asked him: “and how much money do you need to be rich?”. He replied, “I'm not sure mom. For example, how about $5 million? So, I proposed the following: “I give you 5 million dollars in exchange for your health”, and he replied: “Of course not“. Then I told him: “I give you 5 million dollars in exchange for your intelligence or your talent to play football”, and he replied: “of course not”. I replied: "so, I'll give you 5 million dollars in exchange for your sister or your best friend", and he said:
“Not mom. Unthinkable". Finally, I told him: ¨You wanted 5 million dollars and I just offered you 15 in exchange for people, things, and talents that you already have and you told me no. It means that your fortune and wealth today exceed 5 million dollars. So, why do you want to wait until you are big to have 5 million dollars if today, at 11 years old, you have much more than that? To which my son replied: “You're right mom. What nonsense! I just realized how lucky and rich I am now. Thank you.“ And we all went to sleep with satisfied smiles, rich hugs, kisses, and “we love you”.
This exercise is inspired by a practice known as negative visualization that has its origins in Stoic philosophers such as Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, and Seneca. Let us remember that Stoicism was a philosophical school that sought happiness, wisdom, and imperturbability, dispensing with material goods, practicing the domain of the passions, through virtue and reason. In the Yale Science of Well-Being course, Professor Laurie Santos taught us that negative visualization consisted of imagining that terrible things happen to us, talents, virtues, people, or things valuable to us are running out or losing, forcing us to become aware of how lucky we are in the present and how many reasons we have to feel grateful and happy.
Every morning when you wake up, remember that it is a miracle to enjoy another day of life. Every beautiful image, every melody or sweet word you hear, any pleasant smell or taste, breathing, walking, a sunrise, a sunset, a beautiful place, seeing or sharing with a loved one, your family, children, or friends, having a job or a home, when millions of people would give anything to be in your place, are wonderful gifts that cannot go unnoticed.
Would you change your perception of everything you are or have if I told you that today is the last day you will enjoy it? Everything is temporary, including us. Nothing is guaranteed forever. So, I share this exercise with you and invite you to become aware of your infinite wealth. Enjoy it, be thankful for it and instantly generate well-being and fullness whenever you want.
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