We think that everyone else is happy and we are the only ones with problems and troubles. We bemoan our fate and sometimes sink into depression thinking we are the only ones undergoing suffering while others are joyously happy. What we fail to realize is that everyone has his or her own problems.
We think others have more than us. We think others have better jobs, better health than us, or better relationships than we do. We spend time looking at others and wishing we could have what they have. Few realize that each one carries around his or her own bundle of troubles. When we look at the lives of others, we find that they may even have more difficulties than we have. If asked to trade our own problems with theirs, we find many people would rather keep their own.
Instead of spending time thinking about how happy others are, we should think about the blessings that we have been given. Just as we spend time sorting out all the complaints we have for God, we should also list all the blessings God has given us. We should think of all the days that our health is good. We should think of all the times we had enough money for a roof over our heads, food on our table, and clothing on our back. We should count our blessings for all the family members and loved ones that we have. We should think about the spiritual blessings we have received from God.
Each of us has our share of good things in our lives and each has times of trouble. No one alive can escape that reality. We should not feel that someone else is having an easier time in life than we are. All people go through their own suffering.
One way to develop contentment is to spend time in meditation to enjoy the inner bliss. We should focus on the good things that happen to us and be grateful for them. We should accept times of trouble as a part of life and realize everyone else is going through them as well. If we can do this, we will find that we overcome our own tendencies to get sad, depressed, or disheartened about our life and instead develop a more content attitude toward life, thereby learning the secret to happiness.