Have you ever asked yourself if you’re just ‘settling’ with your life, or do you make a more realistic and positive assessment of what is around you? You can ask this question about many aspects of your life—relationships, houses, traveling, friendships… basically anything.
Settling can mean different things. It could possibly signify that you are maturing and are ready for new and exciting challenges. However, it more usually has a negative connotation, meaning that you’re sacrificing your happiness. That is when you need to be concerned.
You don’t want second-best. Instead, you want to ensure that you are living the most rewarding life possible with the best available people by your side. If you feel you’re settling, then the chances are that statement isn’t true. But if you’re realistic about your situation, then you may be able to confidently say that you’re happy with where you’re at.
Consider some of the following scenarios to see what we mean.
The Housing Market
Whether you are buying your first home or are on your seventh move, there are certain aspects of buying a house that you don’t want to settle with. The quality of the house is one of those points.
Would you settle for a property that you know will cost you a ton of money to repair, and likely will not make you any more, because the price is very tempting? Or, would you be more realistic about the situation and pay the extra money for a house that will be a good investment, even if it means tightening your budget?
When it comes to different markets, like the Chicago market or the Toronto real estate market, there are certain aspects that you need to be realistic about and others that you should never settle for.
Your Relationships
Your relationships can be terrifying when it comes to talking about being realistic or settling. If you are settling with your partner because it’s the right thing to do, but wonder if there is a better option out there, you might well wonder whether this type of settling is good for you.
But if you and your partner are genuinely happy together and are ready to settle down, then you have a more realistic basis for your life together. Your gut instinct about your relationships will speak volumes about whether you are settling or being realistic about where things are heading.
Your Career
Another aspect of your life that can be analysed in terms of whether you are settling or being realistic is your career. It’s easy to get caught in a job that doesn’t make you happy, but it pays well and keeps food on the table. Maybe at one point in your life, staying at the job was the practical decision because of your finances. However, once you get everything under control, is it still realistic to remain there, or are you just settling with where you’re at?
Being realistic is the key for taking on life. There may come times at which settling is the better option, but when it comes to your happiness, however, are you then really being realistic? If you’re realistic about all the aspects of your life, you know the outcomes of the different possible scenarios with more certainty and can make decisions that you calculate will be in your best interest.
