What if Nothing in the Future Could Make You Happier Than Everything You Have Right Now?

A year ago we moved into a new house. It was not our dream home. In fact, it was downright quirky. It sat at an odd angle on the property, had a dated exterior, and the kitchen had an electric range. C’mon, a trained chef at least needs a gas stove, right? Oh, and there was no back yard.

​But we were desperate to move, for various reasons, and needed to be in this neighborhood for the kids’ schools. “It’s temporary,” my husband and I both agreed to each other.

​After we moved in I found myself walking through the house thinking about all the things that needed to change about it in order for me to be happy. Our next house would definitely have a front porch, and for sure we needed a decent sized master bathroom, and yes, a much bigger kitchen. Only then could I really settle in. Only then would I truly feel at home, and content.

Then one day a strange thought occurred to me: “what if the house stayed exactly the same, and I could be perfectly happy with it?” No more waiting for the future home to come along, constant frustration with what we have, and restlessness over what we were missing.

What I chose to see in that moment was everything I already had.

My family, the comfort of having a home to come home to, our neighborhood and proximity to schools…