One of my favorite quotes is “Someone else is happy with Less than what you have.” It took me a long time to gain this perspective. Admittedly I was a “keeping up with the Jones'” type of girl. I was never satisfied with my success. I always wanted more. I would look at people and think, “No fair! Why do they get the big house and the fancy car? I’ve worked really hard. I went to college. I did all the right things! Why don’t I have that?!”
One night last year I was watching the hit TV show “This is Us.” If you’re not familiar with the show, one of the main characters is hugely successful in his career and he’s taken in a foster child who has come from very little. In trying to motivate her to work hard in school and in life he will often say, “Remember, Big House, Fancy Car.” As I was watching this episode with my Mom I said, “I hate that they throw it out there that if you get an education and work hard you’ll end up with a mansion and a Mercedes! I’ve done all of that and I have a little house and a crappy car!” What my Mom said to me next has had a lasting impact on me. She said, “Carly, look around you. To a lot of people, you Do have a Big House and a Fancy Car!” How right she is. It’s all about our perspective. I’ve had friends of my children visit our home and say ‘Your house is huge!” or “You have so much food in your cupboards! We don’t have any treats at our house.” It’s moments like this that I am humbled and I realize just how much I have.
Growing up we were far from rich, but being raised in a humble little town I thought we were rich because we had a garage instead of a carport and my Mom saved every extra penny to buy me a few name brand clothes like Guess Jeans to help me fit in.
“Success” in a career or with family can be seen through these same lenses. I have often felt like a failure when it came to my career because I never ended up in New York or Los Angeles and I don’t make $100,000 + a year. I have to remind myself that I co-host a radio morning show, a job that so many people would dream of having. I make a good enough living that I can support myself and our two kids as a single Mom. I am so blessed.
I could look at my marriage and family and feel like a failure because of my divorce or I can be proud of the co-parenting relationship we have built and how we continue to do everything in the best interest of our children and show each other respect.
It’s all about your perspective. Look around you and remember “Someone else is happy with Less than what you have.”
