"My dear, here we must run as fast as we can, just to stay in place. And if you wish to go anywhere you must run twice as fast as that," the Queen of Hearts said to Alice in Lewis Carroll's book, Alice in Wonderland.
Letting go of the race for more money is contradictory to the way we were programmed and brainwashed by the media. It is contradictory to our common beliefs and to the lives people around us lead.
Shifting our perspective regarding money involves reprogramming and ignoring pressure of family and friends. Every now and then it is important to ask ourselves how much money is enough for us, and what is the exact price we really pay in our health and emotionally while dedicating our best energy to this race. We wake up five or six days a week very early, commute to work and return home late, deflated and tired, ready to sit on the couch to watch a reality show on TV, then go to sleep. Is this really the life we want and deserve? Is there a better way of life to explore?
How many life-changing experiences (that could enrich our lives) do we miss when we keep using all our time and energy to make money and then again, more money?
Changing our priorities in setting a new schedule for our routine requires a lot of motivation and conviction.
Creative and inspiring activities are a good source of balance and delight. Even quiet reflection brings relaxation to the mind.
I believe that basic change in this issue should start from childhood -- in our school systems. There are countries in Europe in which the school schedule is more relaxed and include a significant part for arts and crafts, music and sports. This way practicing creative activities becomes a part of the daily routine, starting from early childhood, just like surfing the web, updating on Facebook and watching TV, or any other screen "activity."
When math and science are over emphasized in order to raise a generation that will work in high-tech industries, we enslave these people as overtime workers. So that hiking, painting, gardening -- even on weekends -- are out of the question due to lack of time and spare energy.
Right now there is too much anger and rage entangled in the delicate fabric of our society, and we know quite well the results and the price we all pay. I think that if there would be more classes in every school dedicated to arts and crafts, music and sports -- from elementary school until high school -- there would be more relaxed, balanced and content young adults in our streets.This might be a good start for our future harmonious society.