Saturday, March 7, 2015
Happiness and Investments
What is an investment? I think that it is simply a sacrifice of something that we could have now for a greater return in the future. That being said, do we invest enough in ourselves? in our own happiness? and if so, to what extent and do we do it enough? just as in the "real world" there are many different types of investments of to make. Whether you are investing in bonds, stocks, or whatever else it may be (not to mention all of the smaller categories that make up bonds and stocks) they have all differences that will produce different results. and so the next question to consider is, if we are investing a good amount, is it in the right things? We could spend all of our time investing in ourselves, in our own happiness and success, but never achieve either because we are simply investing in the wrong things. When we truly invest in true happiness we cut out a lot of the things that are said to make one happy, things like; alcohol, tobacco, pornography, pre-marital sex or any sort of sexually intimate relationship outside of legal and lawful marriage, etc.... These are the things that the world teaches us will make one happy, and perhaps that in the moment they will provide a certain level of "satisfaction" or carnal "fulfillment". But remember the definition of investing? we sacrifice lesser things so that we can have greater things! By giving up the pleasures of the world today we are investing in the treasures of heaven for tomorrow. Treasures that rust and moth cannot corrupt and where thieves cannot break through and steal or spoil. Treasures that truly mean something and will not only be valuable here but invaluable for the rest of time and eternity. Investing in things like selfless service, abstinence, keeping the commandments, preaching the gospel and others are those things that are of most worth to us and will only become more and more valuable as we invest in them. These are the things that will lead us on to not only eternal life, but also eternal happiness.
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This is such a true and real post. I like how direct you are with the what is most important to invest our time in, and what isn't. Things of the world are worthless, while temporal and spiritual knowledge as well as service are critical. Thanks for the uplifting words.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post, it is really done well. And I totally agree with you on the investing, that we need to invest in ourselves. Something I was thinking about you list of what the world tells us is happiness, it is really the opposite of investing but spending. Spending your money can feel good at the moment, but one day you won't have any of it; then you will have all these things that you spent money on, but they won't be eternal things. Investing allows us to have fixed income of some sort, dividends or interest (a.k.a. blessings), and the stocks and bonds that we invest in for eternity are really perpetuities, they will last forever. That is the difference that I see, it is between wasting our money now or investing it for an eternal return.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! It's important to seek those things in life that bring true happiness. Ultimately it is our decision to find those things that bring us happiness. I think you made some great points and direction about what things can help us. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteGreat Post! Well put and thought out.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking of a great man who came to speak in one of my classes earlier in the semester. By the end of his amazing presentation, after talking about schooling, business, leadership, and more, he said the most important thing you can do as a working man or woman is live the gospel of Jesus Christ everyday! At work, at home, at play.