I completely agree! I didn’t realize the freedom money could buy early on. Now I do!

For standin’ in your heart
Is where I want to be
And long to be,
Ah, but I may as well try and catch the wind.

We’re all chasing something. In the personal finance community, money is the obvious answer, but it usually goes way beyond that. There’s a reason that we want money and the freedom it buys us. Catch that reason and enjoy the breeze!

I am tall with thick curly hair and married to a red head if that matters 😉 I’d definitely like to check out the two happiness books you recommended. I think contentment has definitely come with age for me. The older I become the more I’m able to block out the noise of others, (including the old bitty), I met in the elevator. I also see that happiness is somewhat fleeting whereas contentment can be a constant state of mind. I am still a great work in progress, but every year I get a little bit better 😉

I just finished two books on happiness (both by Sonja Lyubomirsky and both very good,) that agreed with your post. People strive towards what society tells them will make them happier, but most of those things don’t make them happier at all. Some even make them less happy. I was very amused to learn that people are TERRIBLE at predicting what will make them happy. Sounds like you’re on the right track now though. I suspect some people never figure it out.

Another interesting and thought provoking post. You are on a roll!

Thanks for your comment. Actually it was your comment on a previous post that led me to write this one! I totally agree that you can balance work and family. Unfortunately, I didn’t balance work in a healthy way and when it wasn’t fun I allowed myself to pursue money instead. Looking back I think I could have found a more fulfilling job that also paid well, but I had other factors to account for, like my ability to work from home due to health issues and other things. I wish I would have explored other opportunities more often. Perhaps I would have realized the grass was plenty green on my side or I would have found something even better. Thank you for leaving comments that help me see the world from different angles.