I WILL BE HAPPY WHEN ... revisited

by Jared Yellin

Over the past couple of weeks, our already dismal economy has become far worse than any of the "experts" could have ever predicted. We are in the process of witnessing the "Pearl Harbor" of the financial world, as articulated by Warren Buffet.

Although this has been devastating for all Americans, it has also been a very humbling experience for our nation, one that has made us realize that we are not invincible when it comes to the fundamental problems in our country. It has been a wake up call and a lesson learned, but my fear is that many of us are processing this adverse occurrence in the totally wrong light.

We have seen our bank accounts, retirement funds, financial portfolios and any other type of investment drop significantly, but what I ask you to consider is that although our NET WORTH has been on the decline, does this have any lasting effect to your SELF WORTH? What is your identity and why have we become a nation of people whose identity is purely aligned with their finances?

I think the key to coping with these unfortunate circumstances is to really think about your definition of "success." In the past, this term has been associated with wealth, possessions, and luxuries. People gawk at the ultra wealthy and yearn to live just one day in their lives.

Although the old adage that "money does not buy happiness," is a commonplace expression to almost every single person in the world, these words have become a commodity whose value has been diminished. The new national anthem for our country unfortunately has become, "I will be happy when I make a million dollars, purchase a Mercedes, buy a mansion, own a new pair of designers jeans, take a vacation, etc."

We are constantly basing our fulfillment on the external, when we have all of the tools within our soul to appreciate who we are. When will we realize that it is not what we do not have that makes us unhappy, but rather what we have already achieved that should bring joy to our lives? The point that I am trying to make is that no one has escaped this financial debacle, but when we actually take the time to evaluate our self-inventory, we realize that the only change occurred within our bank accounts. Hopefully, we still have our health, our family, and most importantly ourselves.

Wealth can be lost within a fleeting moment as seen by our lack of control in the current economic decline, but we are the directors of our own self worth and well-being and we can create an incredible life if we so choose. This outcome, unlike a fluctuating economy, is within our control.

Rather than focusing on when we will hit the bottom of the stock market, I challenge all of you to focus your energies on ways to reach the pinnacle of your personal apex. Everything depends on the view of the beholder and whether you allow your circumstances to create your identity or if you allow your identity to create your circumstances.

I have my own personal definition of success, but prior to unveiling this for all of you to read, I think that it is important for you to realize I am driven to achieve a certain monetary status to enable me to spread my message throughout the world, but this drive for money will never consume my soul nor taint my identity. I will always focus on the who I am as opposed to the who I am not and in turn my definition looks like this; Success is measured by pursuing your unique mission in this world with a burning desire to make a difference and leave a legacy in order to be proud of the who I am and the what I stand for.

Charles F. Bunning, says it best: "If all the gold in the world were melted down into a solid cube, it would be about the size of an eight room house. If a man got possession of all that gold -- billions of dollars worth -- he could not buy a friend, character, peace of mind, clear conscience or a sense of eternity."

So I understand that this message may not be well received since most of the audience will have experienced incredibly adverse effects as a result of the deteriorating economy, but I do believe that this message possesses a substantial amount of value if read and re-read in order to make it your own. I also realize that some of my audience may not feel the aftermath of the current conditions because they are young, wealthy or a variety of other reasons, but what I do know is that you probably have experienced our new national anthem, "I will be happy when.," therefore, regardless of the way that you interpret this message, I want you to realize that everything that you ever need in life stares back at you from the mirror every single day.

All of the riches in the world will never truly provide you with the ability to sustain unconditional happiness because that comes from within. My challenge to all of my readers and anyone else who has the opportunity to digest this message is to take some time each day and remind yourself that the world around you may be falling apart, but the world within you is just beginning to take form. As always, I believe in all of you and will be by your side as we conquer these tumultuous times..Good luck!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

My passion in life is igniting the self belief system of every individual that enters my world in order to assist them in reaching their full potential. I am a motivational speaker, writer, and in the process of publishing a book. I have been living the health/wellness lifestyle for as long as I can remember and found my calling as I work at a wellness start-up company that is in the process of changing millions of lives of people who we will never meet. If you would like to subscribe to my bi-monthly emails along with some additional motivation and wellness advice please email me atjared.yellin@gmail.com.