You don’t need anything more to be happy.
This is practicing Abundance 101!
Teens are constantly comparing themselves to their peers in so many ways. The clothes they wear, academic success, material possessions, and the list goes on.
The truth is, if we can just teach them gratitude and how to recognize that they have all they need, the anxiety and stress that they create for themselves focusing on these comparisons would literally disappear.
Society perpetuates this mindset of needing more. Just look at advertising and marketing targeted to get you to want to buy. Social Media Apps, like Instagram have been all over the news with regard to the impact they have on our teens mental well being. They know exactly how to get an emotional response from our teens and they keep those Dopamine hits coming to keep them engaged and wanting more.
Then when they engage they see what everyone else looks like, all the things they are doing, the physical objects they possess. The truth is, what they see is not always the truth. Having an abundance of material wealth, a great figure and pictures in exotic places does not translate to happiness. Those very same people can be struggling with depression, anxiety etc, and those posts make them feel better so they share it. Then jealousy, or envy sets in for the viewer, and this cycle of comparison and wanting what they see causes anxiety and stress and the cycle goes on.
It is important to check in with your teen once in a while and make sure they know how blessed they are with what they have. A loaf of bread to a family who can barely afford a meal will generate the same grateful reaction as the teen who got the new Playstation 5. It does not matter what your socioeconomic standing in life is. When we learn to practice gratitude and recognize abundance, we can truly be at peace and this allows us the space to grow and receive more things to help us feel grateful.
There are many people who went from homeless to living a life they are grateful and appreciative of. Material possessions and needing to be like everyone else will never make you happy. Being content with what you have will actually allow you the space and mindset to get those things, but you first have to know you have enough before you can start going after more.
CREDIT TO MARK CHERNOFF FOR THESE LESSONS