Everywhere you turn, you see people looking for a silver bullet – or a magic pill – for all of their problems. Especially in the U.S., everyone seems to want the quickest, easiest way achieve whatever their goal is. In contrast with the rest of the world, Americans have specialized in making everything as convenient as possible, and then even more convenient than that. It’s what made us powerful, but it also has the potential to bring us down.

Unfortunately, we know that this search for ultimate convenience is fruitless. People have ended up with dashed dreams, wasted money and – worst of all – wasted time.

And you thought convenience was supposed to fix all of those things, right? Not so.

One thing I am convinced of is this: happiness is balance in all that you do. People, even though they like to categorize things as black and white (and love observing the drama that comes with these things), generally do not like extremes in their own lives. And the only way to achieve balance is to practice moderation.

Moderation is such an annoying concept isn’t it? It’s so boring and uninteresting… so simple in theory – and yet so difficult to stick to. It’s everything everyone tries to avoid. Maybe it’s because they feel like they don’t have the self-discipline. Maybe it’s because they misunderstand what moderation is. Who knows?

I’ve come to believe that it is not simply happiness we’re looking for in life. Happiness is an emotion that comes and goes. So is peace. And wealth. And, and, and. The epitome of a life well-lived is one lived in moderation.

Moderation doesn’t have to be boring. Moderation is not about settling. Moderation is not about the same routine, day after day, year after year. If that’s what you think, then I humbly disagree.

Let me tell you why.

Moderation means working hard, busting your butt, pushing yourself to the limit – but knowing when to stop, do nothing, and rest even harder.

Moderation means loving your closed ones like crazy – but knowing when to stop short of losing your sanity.

Moderation means being selfish as hell – but knowing when and how to help others and give them the love and value they so desperately want.

Moderation means spending your money like its water to experience different things in life – but knowing when to buckle down and enjoy having nothing.

Moderation is eating all the stuff you know is “bad” for you – but knowing when to balance it out with all the stuff you know is “good” for you.

Moderation is wasting your time on all the pointless stuff: the TV, the whining, the complaining, the drugs, the sleeping all day, chasing the wrong people of the opposite sex, etc – then knowing when to put it all away and do all the “pointful” stuff.

Moderation is about learning the things you’re supposed to know the “right” way – but knowing when to be stupid and make all the mistakes so you can learn everything else the “wrong” way.

Moderation is bending to conform to the things you don’t care about – but knowing what you do value, standing your ground, and being a total a-hole about.

Moderation is balance. Moderation is evened out. You can’t have the “+” without the “-”; the night without the day; the yin without the yang. Moderation is eliminating the “what if’s” and “why nots” and “how comes.”

Otherwise how else can they meet in the middle to create the human experience?

Moderation is listening to both extremes, taking in what you like, and throwing the rest out – OPO (other people’s opinions) be damned.

Moderation is experiencing both extremes, celebrating the parts that you like, and ignoring the rest – OPO be damned.

Moderation is being both extremes, strengthening the parts you’re good at, and working around the parts you suck at – OPO be damned.

It’s so simple in theory – and yet so difficult to stick to.

What do you think?

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