The Jones Are Not as Happy as You Might Think

Gratitude. You’ve heard the word before. But, let’s be honest most of the time, it feels a bit... esoteric. We're told to be grateful for what we have, but in a world that constantly shoves what we don’t have right in our faces, it’s easy to ignore that advice.

I had a lightbulb moment this morning, and it’s been stuck with since. It happened at a school assembly. One of the teachers shared a story about his time working in Nepal. Now, I wasn’t expecting much from a school assembly, but this story hit home.

He talked about the kids there, and how they were beyond excited to show him their play equipment. And by play equipment, I’m not talking about shiny new slides or cool swings. No, they had an old, rusted swing set. The kind you’d see in an abandoned playground here and probably think, “That needs to be torn down, not played on.”

But these kids were SO ecstatic. So much so that the teacher thought they were going to talk about how bad it was, but they were thrilled. Thrilled that they even had a swing.

And in that moment, it hit me. Here are these kids, living in a country that has so much less than we do, finding pure joy in what they have, not what they don’t.

Meanwhile, many of us are too busy stressing over the things we don’t have. We’re endlessly comparing ourselves to the Joneses, who seem to have it all: the fancy cars, the 5 star holidays, the perfect social media feeds. We think, If only I had that, then I’d be happy, fulfilled, content.

But the truth is, chasing the Joneses is a bloody painful game. It’s a game where you’re always running, always striving, and always falling short. Because no matter how much you achieve, someone else will always have something more. It’s exhausting. And in the process, you miss out on the things that actually matter, the things you already have.

The Joneses, for all their outward success, may not actually be as happy as they seem. Yeah they might have the material wealth, but what are they sacrificing in the process? Time with their kids? Deep relationships with their spouses? Their health? It’s easy to look at the external and think it’s the full picture, but more often than not, it’s just the highlight reel.

At The Pillars, we talk about alignment and balance. And no, it’s not about pretending everything’s perfect. It’s about acknowledging what you have right now, and being grateful for it. Are you healthy? Do you have people you love? Are you getting better at the things that matter to you? These are the things that create real fulfilment.

The Joneses? They might have the latest gadget or the best car. But if they’ve neglected their health, their relationships, or their mental well-being in pursuit of those things, they’re not living an aligned life. And that’s where the real gap lies.

So here’s my POV - stay in your lane. Focus on what you have today, not what you don’t have. Be grateful for the swing in your backyard, whether it’s rusted or brand new. It’s yours, and that’s enough.

Don’t get distracted by the fake “perfect” lives you see online. Your life is already perfect in its own way. It’s time to stop chasing someone else’s dream and start living your own.