Why are so many wealthy people so miserable?

I just read an installment from another self-improvement
course that states that celebrities are unhappy because they
don't have gratitude for what they have. I disagree.

Have you ever had a time when you were making a good
living, lived in a nice place, drove a nice car, took trips,
had everything you needed and more – and yet you were still
unhappy?

It wasn't that you were ungrateful for what you had, just
something seemed wrong. You weren't fulfilled, or some-
thing, but you couldn't quite figure out what the problem

was? Maybe you're in a situation like that now. You feel
like you should be happy, who wouldn't given all that
you have, but you're not.

It simply means that your life is out of balance. Something
has been shoved under the rug and forgotten about. It might
be spending quality time with family or friends, or even
just by yourself. It might be that you're not eating well
enough to keep your body balanced. It might be that even
though you make a good living, you don't love what you do.

If you look at the life of a celebrity, you can understand
why they would be so unhappy. Their lives are totally out
of balance. They spend years on the road. They don't have
the time for important relationships and recreational time.

They're always under pressure to be the "star".

Think about how you feel when you've put in a lot of hours
at work and then have no energy left to give to your family.
You don't have the energy to eat a good meal or get the
exercise you need in order to have more energy.

People are on the never-ending treadmill trying to get
money. But money itself will not make you happy. Life
is a delicate balance of relationships, emotions, desires,
and responsibilities to others as well as to yourself.

What do you really need to live a balanced life?

A clean, safe, calm home to retreat to – your escape
from the rest of the world where you can let your hair down,
relax, and be yourself.

A healthy diet and exercise to stay fit, healthy, trim and
full of energy.

Self-Care, whether it be reading, meditation, prayer,
soaking in a hot tub, a new hairstyle, new clothes, you need
to take care of your personal needs. It's not selfish. It's
necessary. Remember the old saying "If Momma's not happy,
then no one's happy"? There's a lot of truth in that.

Loving relationships. As much as some people swear they
are happy being alone, we need human companionship to
feel alive and part of the world.

Quality time with family and friends. Everyone thrives
when you take the time to enjoy the important people in
your life. Even if you're a workaholic like me, make sure to
set aside time everyday for important relationships. You
think that if you do all the work now, you can make it up
to them later when you've made it. Most of the time, by the
time you've made it, the important people in your life have
left. It happens all the time.

A way to support all of the above. Yep, that's where the
money comes in. But it's more than that. It has to be some-
thing you like doing, or every workday will seem like a
prison sentence.

Dreams and goals. Without something to strive for,
something to live for, we end up in a tedious existence.
We need something that keeps the fire going – no matter
how old you are. How many people have you known who
reached retirement only to spend the rest of their days in
front of the television?

Faith. It takes many forms throughout your life. Faith in
your God, faith in yourself, faith in your kids. You'll find
many times in your life when you just need to have faith
that things will come out ok. Faith is what get us through
the tough times. It has been proven in numerous studies
that those who practice their religion live longer,
healthier, and happier lives.

Whenever you feel discontent coming on, do some soul
searching and find out what you've been ignoring. It may
seem like a lot of work to tend to all this stuff. It's just
like the juggler. When you drop one of the balls, the rest
come dropping down too. You need to pay attention to all of
the balls. Instead of a balancing act, let's call it a
Juggling Act!

About the Author
Carole helps people get their life together. You can find
more of her common sense tips at http://CommonSenseLiving.com