Guest blog by Chelsea.
“She just wants you to make money since you are 24.”
Who said this?
My youngest sister of course. What was she doing besides subjecting me to ageism? She was using human reasoning to define me and God’s supernatural plan for my life.
It was a day like that that I wish I would have said this to her:
| The Purpose Pusher |
The sad reality is that human beings today (you and me included) tend to think that if we had money, all our problems would be solved. Now don’t get me wrong. I’ve played the lottery a few times hoping to win it big. Yet, unlike so many others, my intentions were for good. If I won the lottery, most of what I won would not be spent on myself.
- I would try to pay off my parents’ house, fix it up, and give them a vacation for just the two of them.
- I would donate the rest to help out those who need it most (charities and worthwhile people who legitimately deserve a helping hand).
Yet, even though I’m 24 years old and without steady income, I’m happier than I ever have been in my whole life.
I bet you just read that above statement and looked at the computer screen and screamed:
I mean my life is far from perfect or what I deem to be perfection in my eyes but I finally feel free. I work as a freelance writer for two companies currently and I also intern with a publisher doing public relations for authors.
On the anniversary of Dr. King declaring his dream in one of the most inspiring speeches of all time, I also planted a stake in the field of dreams for my life and the goals I want to achieve. One of which is to become an author of multiple best-selling novels so I launched the site in order to expand my platform as an author. Yet, it also was a way for me to create opportunity in the area (and my dream career field) of public relations. Therefore, The Smart Cookie Philes was born.
Yet, in the past five months since it was launched, I’ve never seen something grow into such a fruitful venture in my life, and I have only been paid about less than $100 for any sponsored work via the site.
My point is this:
Money doesn’t equal happiness because happiness isn’t external; it’s 100% internal.
The only plausible reason my site is becoming a booming career venture is because:
Another reason is because I’ve let the joy of the Lord be my strength. Family members (God bless their little hearts) may not understand what it means to be a remote professional, a freelance writer, or even a post-graduate who still lives with her parents. Yet, that’s totally okay. Why? Because I trust God. And I choose to enjoy my life every day.
I’ve been reading Joyce Meyer’s newest book, Overload, which talks about freeing yourself from the pressures of stress, and so far, I find it to be one of Joyce’s best books yet (this coming from someone who has probably read at least thirty to forty of Joyce’s other titles in the span of three years so I may be a bit biased).
In it, she mentions that,
And a great attitude to take with you on this journey called life is
“I’m not where I need to be but thank God I’m not where I used to be. I’m okay and I’m on my way!”
Genesis 18:14: Is anything too hard for the Lord? No!
Numbers 11:23(The MSG): God answered Moses, “So, do you think I can’t take care of you? You’ll see soon enough whether what I say happens for you or not.”
And lastly, a verse that I read and said a thousand times before just became seen with fresh eyes,
Matthew 19:26: With men, this is impossible. But WITH GOD, all things are possible (emphasis mine).
A key point I want you to take away from this whole piece is that you can be extraordinarily happy while living an ordinary, everyday life. Expecting life to be one long series of exciting events is setting yourself up for disappointment, which ends up increasing stress levels and stealing your joy!
Decide to be content and live life as it comes.
Photo credit: Google Images (Tumblr)
About the author:
Jesus Lover. 24 year old witty writer/poet/blogger. The Smart Cookie. I tend to see the best in people. Hoping to defend the media's greatest targets when I become a publicist. Saint Leo University graduate. Dog lover. Daydreamer. Believer. Child-like spirit. Hugger.
Flower Child. Child of the One True King
Flower Child. Child of the One True King
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64 comments
Money is not the answer to ones troubles. I know people with lots of money and they are miserable. Being comfortable is better.
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous day. ☺
This was so interesting to read.
ReplyDeleteNina
http://www.ninasstyleblog.com
This was great! At 24, enjoy life. You won't be in your 20s for long (it doesn't feel like). And it's a great time to just figure out who you are as a person. Money is definitely not everything!
ReplyDeleteThe number on truth from this post is that money does not equate happiness.... I am not saying I would not like more but if I continue to work the way I am living now, I would be very content... I do want to expand my creativity but I don't think I need a great deal of money to do that xox I love the quotes xox
ReplyDeleteDear Chelsea, I wish you with all my heart that all of your dreams you are passionately harvesting come true. If you wish something with a truthful heart, the whole universe will be on your side. Your sister will come round in the end. A big hug to Lux. Baci, Valeria - Coco et La vie en rose NEW POST
ReplyDeleteGreat post! As long as you are happy, that's the important thing! Money really doesn't buy happiness if you're not enjoying what you are doing.
ReplyDeleteFlorals&Smiles
cool
ReplyDeleteI like the sentiment of being not where you need to be, but grateful to have progressed from where you used to be. And 24 is so young - no need to worry about not being financially secure. I wasn't shocked at all. I was still tackling a lot of school debt at your age. Keep savoring your blessings.
ReplyDeletemoney does make people happy, it does indeed, whoever says different has never been hungry, ill without medications, homeless or without clothes... Money buys experiences, and experiences make you happy, travelling, eating, shopping, clothes, parties, hanging out with friends... all that takes money...
ReplyDeleteNice post, and thanks for your share
ReplyDeleteBetsy | www.missygowns.com
Yep totally! I'm gonna enjoy everything while I can :)) Money is just a paper. What matters is what you do with the paper that is money :)
ReplyDelete<3 | X ALY | Latest: Effortless in Denim - Style Post | ft. tassel bag
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I followed your blog. Please can you follow back?
http://ameliabelieveme.blogspot.ba/
yes, knowing contentment in life brings happiness.
ReplyDeleteInteresting I also agree with Sandee too :-)
ReplyDeleteHello, I do believe we can be happy without money. But, sometimes it helps to have some. It is best to plan for the future and save. Great post, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHave a happy day and week ahead!
Hi, Lux!
ReplyDeleteThis is a very useful post. I have learned that "happiness," as we think of it, is overrated. That means there is great joy to be found in accepting where you are right now, even if you have not yet reached all of your goals, while continuing to strive toward them. This highlighted affirmation was a great one: “I’m not where I need to be but thank God I’m not where I used to be. I’m okay and I’m on my way!” Every day I think to myself something to that effect. Over the years I have significantly improved myself and my life circumstances. I still have a long way to go. I choose to control the yearning and the wishing for instant results and take satisfaction in making steady daily progress.
Thank you, dear friend Lux!
So true 😊
ReplyDeletehttp://freshfacebeauty.in
Money doesn't solve everything!! So glad you found happiness!!
ReplyDeleteLove it. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete** Join Love, Beauty Bloggers on facebook. A place for beauty and fashion bloggers from all over the world to promote their latest posts!
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A great post!
ReplyDeleteI truly believe that happiness and kindness are far more important than making money will ever be.
How many millionaires do you see around the world who are still depressed and troubled? Money hasn't made them any happier, has it?
Yes, just give me happiness any day...:)
Really interesting post...thx for sharing! xx
ReplyDeleteWow, Chelsea, I enjoyed reading your article. As one who is double (and more) your age, I can say you are right on! Coincidentally, your writing reminded me ... I was recently going through some of my mother's journals from many, many years ago. She often kept little clippings and similar things as keepsakes. Of all things, she had kept one little scrap of paper from inside a fortune cookie ... It said ... Stop searching forever, Happiness is just next to you. :-) Hello Lux, thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI think I agree with you. Money doesn't always make someone happier. Sure, maybe if we had a little more we can always think of ways we would use it and hopefully to the greater good of a lot of people. But there is a lot you can discover through lack of money, and life doesn't center around it.
ReplyDeleteThis is really a beautiful post!
ReplyDeleteIt is so true that money won't solve all our problems. I know some people who have unlimited money but they live an unhappy life. Also, the good intention to donate money for charity if we win the lottery is absolutely amazing. However, we do not need to wait until we are rich to do charity work since we can also contribute our time and effort to work for charity causes.
Anyway, thank you for visiting my blog! :)
http://treatu.blogspot.com/
Interesting read!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful thoughts, Chelsea! And so nice to meet you. I'm also working hard to become a novelist~~~~~
ReplyDeleteThe joy of the Lord is my strength indeed. Thank you for this upbeat post.
ReplyDeleteSuper cute and interesting post! I love it! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletexx
cvetybaby.com
thanks for this brilliant post Lux !
ReplyDeleteNEW OOTD post is up
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Stay Gold
Money can't buy happiness but it does make life easier. I remember being at your age and having walked out of a (not so) well paying job to pursue my dreams. Financially they were the toughest times of my life and it spanned for years. And yet it was the happiest I had ever been too.
ReplyDeleteSxx
www.daringcoco.com
very true that happiness is internal
ReplyDeleteGreat post!!!
ReplyDeleteKisses
TruccatiConEva
Good to read a piece from another guest blogger. True, let's not let money decide on our happiness.
ReplyDeletetrue..money can not guarantee happiness.. Loved reading the post
ReplyDeleteMy mom always says "money won't give you happiness, they will only help you with life" and that's so true.
ReplyDeleteHappy to see you smiling through your words!
ReplyDeleteHello Lux,
ReplyDeleteAt the beginning, I thought it was you who wrote this piece. It shares the same tone of sincerity as your own style of writing.
Happiness has nothing, absolutely nothing to do with wealth. I've always been looked down by my relatives in the province for not being the same as my peers; most of them own cars and houses. But I don't really care! I've impressed in my heart that the rewards that I will reap in eternity far outweighs any material things this world offers. That is more important to me and that is the reason I hate this world with all its shallowness and hypocrisy.
Thanks Chelsea for sharing your story!
Take care,
J.
Money does not make a person happy because there are a lot of celebs that are depressed. In the words of some rapper Mo' Money Mo' Problems!
ReplyDeleteVery wise post.
ReplyDeleteOh. I thought this was you. It was a guest blogger. :-D
ReplyDeleteI agree with what she posted. Money is not everything. Money will not give you the ultimate happiness. Money may make you feel contented for a short time but most of the times it can make you want for more until you become greedy and miserable.
Good points here----Money definitely does not equal happiness!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting!
ReplyDeleteSuch an interesting post!
ReplyDeleteWishing a happy weekend to you both!
Good luck with life as you find your way!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely money is not the only aspect to happiness. I enjoyed reading your thoughts, thank you.
ReplyDeleteMoney doesn't buy happiness cos even billionaires have their own share of problems but it sure helps. A whole lot too, lol. Great read.
ReplyDeletehttp://fashionablyidu.blogspot.com/
I think money can bring happiness but its not the answer to everything :)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thequinoxfashion.com/
This is so perfect! Money definitely doesn't buy happiness!
ReplyDeleteyou are completely successful! You get it! It's not about the money, it's about the life and you are wise beyond your years.
ReplyDeleteMarie
spreading-joy.org
Great post, I agree with you
ReplyDeletewww.alessandrastyle.com
Nice post! Happiness is a very subjective matter. If you are happy, you are happy, no matter what others think :-)
ReplyDeleteSuch an interesting post!
ReplyDeleteHave a nice week!
Gil Zetbase
http://gilzetbase.com/
I really apreciate this quotes, I underline some of them
ReplyDeleteMelange-Boutique Blog| | Instagram
What a brilliant guest post and with such a strong, heartfelt message. Funnily enough, I also carry the quote ''with God all things are possible'' around with me in my head :)
ReplyDeleteaglassofice.com
x
It's true - being happy is a choice we can make!
ReplyDeletebeautiful post and i love the quotes
ReplyDeleteHappiness is for sure internal and is a choice
Money definitely isn't what brings happiness. Thanks for sharing part of your story here, Chelsea. May we all remember that our interior life is more important than our exterior life.
ReplyDeleteI know lots of people with a lot of money who are not happy. I don't think it buys happiness. Certainly it can help take care of stresses- and I agree that if I ever win the lottery I will try to help as many people as I can. :)
ReplyDelete~Jess
Yes, its a choice and if one embraces that choice, happiness and gratitude follows. Thanks for the inspiring post.
ReplyDeleteSuch wisdom at 24! So proud of you Chelsea for chasing your biggest dreams and even more so for chasing day to day happiness. We have so many illusions of what will make us happier (money, marriage, promotions,). One of my favorite quotes is by Jim Carey - “I hope everybody could get rich and famous and will have everything they ever dreamed of, so they will know that it's not the answer.”
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this great message today!
What a great read :)
ReplyDeleteFlorals&Smiles
If o could give you both a hug right now😉😄👭👭👭
ReplyDeleteI love this Chelsea, you nailed thus article.
I am grateful for where I am not that I am there yet but I am not where I used to be....plain and simple.
God bless you both.
I enjoyed every bit of this article. I'm also not where I want to be but I'm definitely not where I used to be. I choose to be happy, regardless of my circumstances. Everyday, I try to accept whatever the Lord hands out to me. He knows best and I choose to submit to His will. I love that Joyce Meyer quote on your who not depending on your do. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the inspiring post.
ReplyDelete