“We seldom think of what we have but always of what we lack.”

— Arthur Schopenhauer, philosopher

What do you think are the relative percentages of our focus on what we lack versus what we have? Are they 90/10, 80/20, 70/30, 60/40 or 50/50? You may notice I stopped at 50/50 – and for the purpose of this post, let’s just say that the odds in general aren’t in most people’s favor.

What is your own ratio?

Regardless of your own score, focusing your attention on what you already have is the key to happiness and living a fulfilling life.

Exercise:

For the next week, use a journal or notebook to record your thoughts on what you have and what you lack. Consider using an alarm (perhaps on your phone) to trigger you to capture these thoughts.

After writing about what you have, ask “what else” and add even more to the list, to shift yourself toward a more full appreciation of the richness and abundance all around you.

Feel free to reply to this message with any insights you may have gained from this exercise.