Whilst most of us will blatantly admit to owning these things (and they do indeed make our lives a little more convenient) the happiness gained from such tangible products isn’t a sustained one. I can honestly say that I love my iPod, and listen to it during my thirty-minute daily run, but for the rest of the twenty-three and a half hours that it spends turned “off” sitting on my desk, it’s not really contributing anything of significance to my emotional state.
It appears that as technology has advanced, the pace of society has gotten faster. But ironically, overall levels of happiness haven’t improved at all. In actual fact, it seems that there is a greater occurrence of depression than there ever was back in the days of old fashioned scheduling dairies and telephones with cords. Or maybe talking about depression is more socially acceptable. Regardless of the reasons, I believe that only very few people stop to take time out and enjoy the small things in life. Life has become so fast-paced and focused on getting to meetings on time, responding to calls, and checking emails that most forget that there really is a world of beauty beyond our technologically advanced workstations.
It is important to honor the small things found in everyday life that can bring us appreciation if we just take the time to notice their existence – acts of kindness and small gifts of beauty that come from a place that technology has yet to discover. Don’t spend your day trying to avoid technology. Instead, just set aside a few seconds to appreciate the things that come into your life on a regular basis – this can go a long way towards making you a happier person.
