East Health Tip #29: “@&%$ The Joneses!”
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The other night I saw a billboard on the side of the highway. It had some tricked out Toyota on it and it said, “@&%$ The Joneses!” I laughed because I’m sure that phrase was focus-grouped to be just edgy enough to connect with the Fast and Furious demographic and not piss off suburban moms who really want a new Camry for Christmas.
Regardless of intention, they’re onto something. We’re told our whole lives that if you’re running a race, don’t look back. Why? Because it hinders your performance, that’s why. Don’t pay attention to what everyone else is doing, just put your head down and run.
I’m suggesting that when it comes to your life, just put your head down and run. Focus on a goal and get there. Then pick another one and get there. Don’t get distracted. I’m not saying don’t stop and smell the roses. I am saying don’t fall asleep in them or stress out about whether yours look better than Mrs. Jones’.
This may be an oversimplified philosophy for every second of every day in your life. I’m not suggesting that you alienate and avoid the people around you. If you’re not consciously connected to your community on some level there is a problem. But I am suggesting that when Mr. Jones gets a flat screen TV from Best Buy, don’t act like the people in the Best Buy commercial that’s running right now…
In the commercial I speak of. What happens is you see Mr. Jones’ TV and then you go out and immediately buy a bigger one than Mr. Jones’ while your wife gives you a humorously disapproving look. Why? Why do you do this? Were you going to spend $2000 on a TV before you saw Mr. Jones!? Probably not.
The point is that you should set your own goals and strive for them. Don’t get distracted or stressed out by what others have, or what they say they have. I know it’s easier said than done, but just like anything else, practice makes perfect.
I’m going to roll one more cliché in here. It’s the one about the greener grass on the other side of the fence. You know why it looks greener? Because you can’t see all the crap that’s fertilizing it. But you do know what’s under your lawn. So it’s not as appealing.
When Mr. Jones unloads his flat screen, you don’t know about the Best Buy card he had to open at 23% interest to get it, and you won’t see his wife chew him out after the delivery guys leave. You also don’t know at the time that getting one of your own probably won’t make you happy. (That’s called buyer’s remorse and it’s a cruel mistress. It stems from the fact that most people have no idea what will actually make them happy.)
What does any of this have to with your health? A lot, actually. In our fast-paced culture of information and leading cutting bleeding edged techno-obsessive society, anxiety and stress are the enemy. These things heighten your blood pressure and lower your immune system.
So, @&%$ it!
Next time someone cuts you off in traffic, don’t spend 10 minutes trying to overtake them. Next time Mr. Jones brags about his gold-plated widget, don’t go into debt to get one. Just take a few deep breaths. Think of something you’re thankful for, remember what you were doing & what personal reasons you were doing it for, and then make a beeline for the finish.
[Ed's note: I'm not preaching against being competitive. Competition is a good thing and a good teacher. But chronically putting yourself in material competition with everyone around you is toxic to your well-being mentally and physically. Consciously working to strike a balance within yourself between a continued personal ambition and thankfulness will add years to your life and make the ones you've got better and healthier.]
Further reading:
10 friends Live Secondhand for a Year
Psychologists Now Know What Makes People Happy
*Cartoon taken from Gaping Void.com
[tags] happiness, health, material, cliché-riddled
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POSTED IN: Easy Health Tips, How To, Media, Misc., Prevention, Your Mind
2 opinions for East Health Tip #29: “@&%$ The Joneses!”
mam885
Dec 20, 2006 at 9:58 am
Does this mean I’m not getting a very good Christmas present?
gingerbrackett
Dec 20, 2006 at 11:41 am
Sometimes cliches are true. Excellent advice all the way around.
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