Growing up in America, I always believed that more wealth and opportunities would equate to more happiness. After all, the American Dream promises just that. However, my travels have opened my eyes to a startling reality: America may actually be making us anxious and depressed.
I recently met a woman who, every day from morning until evening, sells drinks to passersby. She makes the equivalent of $25 to $30 a day, and yet she exudes happiness. In stark contrast, many of my friends back home, who earn six or even seven-figure incomes, struggle to find joy. How is it that someone with so little can be so happy, while those with so much are often so miserable?
The answer, I’ve come to realize, lies in the sense of community and belonging that exists in places like this. Here, people may not have as much material wealth as in America, but they have something far more valuable: a sense of connection and purpose beyond themselves. It’s astonishing to see how much happiness people find in simply being part of a community.
Back in America, I was bombarded with suggestions to take medications for ADHD, anxiety, and depression. I was encouraged to see countless therapists, all just for existing. But here, where people have significantly less, they dance in the streets on a Sunday night, reveling in their happiness. It’s mind-boggling.
In America, self-worth is often tied to productivity and success. From a young age, we are programmed to believe that our value is determined by our beauty, income, fame, and success. If we aren’t trending on social media, making enough money, or fitting a certain image, our self-worth plummets. This relentless pressure to be more, do more, and have more leaves many feeling inadequate and unhappy.
Conversely, in the places I’ve visited, people don’t live to work. Their jobs are simply a means to support their lives, not the focal point of their existence. They find purpose in family, friendships, and simply enjoying life. Being alive and experiencing the joys of human connection are their primary goals.
In America, we tend to complicate life with an endless pursuit of success and material wealth. There are countless steps and milestones we feel pressured to achieve, but the true essence of life often gets lost in the process. Here, life is beautifully simple. People work to live, not live to work, and their worth isn’t measured by their productivity or success. They find happiness in the everyday moments and the relationships they cultivate.
Traveling has taught me that happiness doesn’t come from wealth or success but from living a life rich in community, connection, and simple joys. It’s a lesson that challenges the very core of what I was brought up to believe, but one that I am immensely grateful to have learned.
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