Continuing my series inspired by the book The Three Ordinary Voices of God, I’m diving into What Aren’t Needs and the Happiness Paradox, exploring why getting what we want doesn’t always make us happy. I wanted to go a little deeper into the nooks and crannies of what aren’t needs. If you haven’t already, check out Part 1 of the first ordinary voice to learn more about our physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual needs.

It’s only recently that I’ve gained clarity about the reality that we live in a culture that constantly pushes us to chase our wants. At first, pursuing what you want sounds perfectly reasonable. We deserve to be happy, to have our desires fulfilled, and to live the life of our dreams. What could be wrong with that?

There isn’t anything wrong with wanting what you want, but if you give yourself time to truly reflect and look at the concept from a more detached perspective, you start to see how this mentality can lead to unhappiness and bitterness when life doesn’t unfold as you planned. It’s like trying to fill a cup with a hole at the bottom. No matter how much water you pour in, it never stays full. The moment you turn off the water, it’s empty again.

These days, manifestation is a big cultural trend. The idea is that you can create the life you want through mindset shifts and belief. And that can be wonderful for those who experience it. But idealizing the life we want doesn’t always lead us in the direction that’s best for our soul. As I’ve deepened my spiritual journey, I’ve realized that life isn’t always about getting what we want. Often, those wants aren’t even attainable or meant for us.

In constantly searching for the dream life, we can miss the opportunity to truly live the one we already have. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have goals or things you’re passionate about. But through my spiritual growth and daily life, I’ve learned that life is about acceptance and peaceful contentment.

For those who walk a spiritual path, it’s a daily practice to accept God’s will, even when it doesn’t match our own. We can fall into cycles of bitterness when we compare our lives to others and feel like we haven’t reached what we thought we wanted.

We may also find ourselves living in disillusionment, trying to control everything or change people, even when it isn’t meant to be.

Shifting our focus to our real needs, the daily physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual ones, can lead to a life that feels more peaceful and grounded than the endless chase for wants. Wants can be good, but when they take the driver’s seat, they often distract us, trap us, or lead us to compromise our values. Sometimes our wants aren’t good for us and can take us down paths that God never intended.

Learning to discern what truly matters is a personal and internal journey. It requires moving the focus from the outside world to our inner life.

This is a great episode for anyone who wants to understand the difference between a want and a need. As always, I hope you leave feeling a little more inspired.

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