Don't worry....be happy!

There are two platitudes that I have inexplicably latched onto and use as boundary stakes for guiding me along as I try to make my way forward in my life. I know that sounds a bit strange, but it seems to be working for me (so far).

The first one grounds me in how I approach the randomness of life:

"The only difference between adversity and adventure is attitude."

Kind of a definition statement for platitude, right?

Well, it really does have some reinforcing value when faced with adversity. That adversity can be as simple as the inconvenience of a torrential downpour on mile 15 of a 30 mile bike ride. Or as complex and impacting as losing your job during an economic meltdown. Whenever you feel the tension of adversity building, it's always good to step back and run this little equation based platitude through your head. Adversity? Or adventure? The only variable is you. How you face your situation, and therefore experience it, really is your choice.

Speaking of experience....the second platitude is slightly more inane:

"Experiencing something is far more valuable than possessing something."

Hmmm. What the hell does that mean?!?

Well, for me anyway, it means that I enjoy the accumulation of experiences a lot more than the accumulation of things. It doesn't mean that I'm a hermit with no earthly possessions - not at all. I can spend money on stuff with the best of them. But I do get a far greater kick out of an experience than I do out of a purchase. I've never really been able to explain it better than that...until today.

I just came across this new study that seems to remove the "inaneness" from my second platitude. I hate when that happens! It makes me feel so ordinary.

But, it does hit the nail on the head about how I feel. I especially relate to how the study found that experiences are more rewarding because of how they are shared within your social network. And it was also interesting how cities and towns should focus on building opportunities for experiences for their citizens to help improve the quality of life.

Even if you don't agree, or find these types of journalistic studies inane in themselves, you might find a few nuggets for yourself in this one. Don't worry! Be happy!

Read study here.