A few days ago, I was with a friend who received a text message from her mother. The message stated: “I hate having no money. I’m sorry I can’t get you extra things that you want.” She simply replied: “It is okay, we have everything we could need. We have our health and love. I know it’s corny but at least we are happy.” Those two simple text messages have had me thinking ever since.

Too often, we obsess over what we do not have in life. We compare ourselves to others and wish that we could have just as much as they do. Instead of focusing on what we do not have, we need to concentrate and be grateful for what we do have. Maybe you don’t have extra money to throw around and buy expensive things with, and that’s completely okay. Money does not, nor will it ever, buy happiness.

You’re probably thinking “did she really just say that?” The answer is yes. I know it’s a cliché phrase, but it’s also one of the truest statements ever spoken. Happiness is a feeling we find within ourselves, and money should not be able to define that. Maybe objects that we buy can make us feel content for a short moment, but happiness is for a lifetime. The text messages between my friend and her mother could not be more accurate. There are so many important things that money cannot buy in this life, such as love and family. Knowing that we are loved by friends and family causes us to feel complete and worthwhile. No amount of money will ever give you the same genuine happiness that the love shared between people will give you, as the relationships that we build throughout our lives are priceless.

I encourage everyone to shift our focus to what we do have, rather than what we do not. Our "wants" will pale in comparison when we realize that what we already have is more than enough. Too often we think, "I have this, but if I get more, I'll be even happier." That is simply not the case. We should all be grateful for even being alive, regardless of if we have a lot or a little in this life. Let’s be glad that we have been blessed with little things in our lives that can never be bought, such as the people we associate with, the beautiful nature around us, or even the blue sky above us. There is always something to be grateful for, even when it seems like there is not.

The next time you hear someone say “money can’t buy happiness”, take a moment to truly think about that. Yes, it can buy you a boat and a truck to pull it. But, it will never compare to the feelings that are shared between family, friends, and experiences. We are never truly wealthy in life until we have something that money can’t buy.