The American Dream, Reimagined
By Stephanie O’Dea
You probably grew up hearing that the American Dream meant that when you “grew up,” you’d have a steady job that paid the bills, your own home, a happy marriage with 2.5 kids, and maybe even a golden retriever behind your very own white picket fence.
For decades, Hollywood, advertisers, and the media have sold this vision as the ultimate goal, and the pinnacle of success.
There are countless self-help and personal development books written each year promising that if you just worked hard enough you, too, could make this vision your reality.
But is that really what everyone wants? Do we really think this narrow version of success is what everybody should strive towards?
The truth is, the American Dream should look different for everyone, because we’re all different, and that’s what makes America so special!
For generations, we’ve celebrated the idea of a melting pot, where people from all backgrounds bring their own beliefs, ideals, and dreams to the table.
We do not live in a one-size-fits all world, and success is something you can design and cultivate to fit your own ideas and lifestyle.
What feels like the ultimate goal to you might be completely different from what your neighbor down the street thinks.
When you slow down and ask yourself, “What am I actually working toward?”, you might realize that what you truly want is much simpler than what you’ve been told to chase.
Each day we are bombarded and inundated with messages telling us we should always be striving for more—more success, more status, more stuff.
Marketers and the media spend a ton of time and money persuading us to believe that happiness is just one click and purchase away and that if only we bought the next new shiny gadget or toy we’d finally feel happy and successful.
What If “Good Enough” Is Actually… Enough?
Guess what? You don’t need to be the best at anything to live a great life. It’s perfectly okay to not be the absolute best at all you do, and this doesn’t mean that you are doomed to live a life of failure.
We don’t live in a winner-takes-all world, even though we’re constantly being told that we do. When you sit down every four years to watch the Olympics – do we really think that the athletes that don’t win medals are losers? Of course not!
The fact is, if you consistently aim for always being the best you will miss out on an awful lot of the fun part of life. You can still live a fulfilling life filled with love, laughter, and a safe and secure place to live – even if you aren’t the best of the best.
I propose we aim for living a B+ life—one where you are self-sufficient, calm, and a good human with an adequate career. In the long run, this may just be the most sustainable and fulfilling way to live.
The pressure to be exceptional at everything is exhausting and often leads to burnout. What if we instead channeled Elsa and decided to simply, “Let it Go?”
The Slow Living Approach to Success
Slow Living invites us to Simply Look Only Within which means that we get to decide for ourselves what success looks like rather than following an arbitrary set of ideals laid out by others.
Instead of seeking validation, praise, or accolades from others, we stopped to pause and question:
- Do I actually want the things I’ve been told I should want?
- What brings me peace, rather than pressure?
- Can I allow myself to embrace a version of success that feels right rather than impressive?
For some people having a high-power career that takes up the majority of their time feels like the ultimate goal. There are people who want to be in charge and have others look up to them, while others would prefer to blend into the background. Some people feel at home and comfortable in a fast-paced city environment while others would prefer small town vibes.
None of these paths are inherently better or worse than the other and there are plenty of people who live in each who are happy and content. We do not live in a cookie cutter world and our life would be pretty boring if we were surrounded only by people who looked, talked, acted, and thought all alike!
A Slow, Steady, and Sustainable Pursuit of Happiness
Please don’t delay feeling happy now because you believe that happiness occurs on the other side of an arbitrary goal you’ve set for yourself.
You can choose to be happy even while you are working towards your goals, and please remember that your goals are highly personal – what you are working towards isn’t going to be the same as your friends, coworkers, or what you may have been taught in school or by your parents.
Regardless of what you are working towards, you’ll miss out on a lot of life if you put off being happy because you are waiting to achieve (what you feel is) the perfect job, house, or bank account balance.
Happiness instead can be found in peaceful and calm everyday moments, such as sipping coffee on your porch, wiping dog drool off of your chin, taking a walk in the morning dew, or belly laughing with a friend.
Hustle culture, social media, and marketers tell us we should constantly be upgrading our lifestyle, looks, and achievements. But true happiness isn’t found in the relentless pursuit of better or found on the other side of an arbitrary goal. It’s found in appreciating what we already have in the here and now.
A slower, simpler American Dream is one that prioritizes peace and inner contentment over prestige and material accumulation.
The New American Dream
Many people live pretty amazing lives, and often they are people who are simply living in accordance with their own ideals. Contrary to what you may hear and read online, many people have no interest in being internet famous, or flying around in private jets.
You do not need to be impressive or fancy in any way to live a life well-lived.
Living a B+ life doesn’t doesn’t mean you’ve settled. Instead it means you’ve prioritized your life in a way that feels fulfilling, peaceful, and happy for you, which is the epitome of success and the American Dream.
Want more?
The new Slow Living book is now available wherever books are sold.
Get more info at stephanieodea.com/slowlivingbook
