We live in an era of unprecedented freedom and choice. And most people would say that having more options is a good thing. But is it really? Does it really improve the quality of our lives? Or are our lives becoming increasingly complex because of the overload of choices? What about discontentment? Are we demanding more, appreciating less, and always seeking the best such that we think that our present lot is never good enough?
Freedom of choice can be a good thing, but we are slowly discovering that it has a limit. There is a point at which it becomes a burden. Excessive choice can set you up to have expectations too high for satisfaction. Is this also happening in our relationships? Can no one live up to our expectations because we are looking for the elusive "ideal" mate?
As the number of choices keep growing, there is an increase in stress, decision-making dilemmas, anxiety, fears and disappointments. The more we have, the more we want, the more that's available, the more we crave.
Now this might sound regressive, but what if we consider embracing certain constraints on our freedom of choice instead of rebelling against all of them? Like with making music, having certain structures and rules helps us to create harmony. Maintaining some discipline in our lives, for example, can help us achieve more success and health.
What about appreciating what we already have instead of hankering after what we don't? Human nature is such that we tend to get used to and get bored with what we have, leading us to want more and more and to seek greater and higher thrills. So try embracing and appreciating the finer points of what is already "good enough" in your life.
Many of us are also too preoccupied with what others are doing - what they are buying, who they are dating, how they seem to be happier than us and so on. This only makes us more frustrated with our own lives. So what if we paid less attention to others and started focusing more on our own lives and what we can do to improve them?
So if more choice is bringing you more confusion, try simplifying your life. Take a closer look at what you already have in your life. Aren't there positive aspects of them you have perhaps neglected? How can you love them more?
Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd
