Denise Sanger

Have you ever heard the saying “keeping up with the Joneses?” Who are the Joneses and why are we trying to keep up with them? Today in the United States, it seems we are never happy with what we have, where we are and how we are currently doing. We are always worrying about the next latest and greatest gadget, bigger house, faster car, better jewelry, and just about bigger and better anything that we could possibly have. Why are we not content?

I did some research and it turns out that we haven’t been happy with what we currently have in a long time. The saying “Keeping up with the Joneses” actually originated around 1913 from a comic strip that was published for about 30 years. Creator “Pop” Momand was poking fun at America’s need to do things to impress other people. And we are still doing the same thing 100 years later on a much bigger level. Some things never change.

Competition can be a good thing, but when we are always worrying about what everyone else has or does, we never allow ourselves to be content with what we have and where we are. There was a time when we were so busy trying to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table that we never gave a thought to what another person had. What a simple life that must have been.

So you are probably wondering what keeping up with the Joneses has to do with living healthy? More than you might imagine. When our focus is always on what someone else has, we take the focus away from ourselves and our happiness. We forget to be grateful for what we have and where we are. I’m sure you have heard the saying – want to be happy? Then be happy. Happiness does not come from more things. Happiness comes from within and being content with where we are.  Unfortunately, trying to keep up with the Joneses does nothing more than make us think that what we have and where we are will never be enough. It’s like a hamster running on a wheel. It keeps running and running yet never gets anywhere.

This constant belief that what we have is not enough causes unnecessary stress not only in our lives, but on our body. Our bodies react to stress the way it has since cave men times when we had to be able to run away from danger to remain alive. Except today the running we are doing is not from a dinosaur or mountain line – it is caused by us. And that cause we can control.

Starting today, focus on what is important in your life and let everything else go. When you work back from what is important, it makes it much easier to put thing in perspective. Many of us will list faith and family but I hope you also put your health on your list. After all, if you don’t have your health, what do you really have? Don’t worry about the Joneses. Let everything else go and today just be happy.

To your health,

Denise

Denise Sanger is a certified fitness instructor, FXP Hoop instructor and licensed Zumba instructor and co-founder of Family Fitness Outreach Center with Becky Skipper. Their goal is a healthier Suwannee County. Denise may be reached at DeniseSanger.com, 386/292-6105 or denisesanger@gmail.com