The American Dream

What exactly is it? It began as a way to uplift people by giving them hope for the future. An add assurance that no matter who you were, what you looked like, where you were from, or how old you were, anything you want in life can be gained with hard work and dedication. It has since changed into The New American Dream focused on an obsession to obtain more specific things like money, notoriety, homes, and careers, all of which must be based on society's sentiments; the more, the better. Wealth has become the national measure of success. Some of us use this new-found outlook as a way to motivate ourselves. We set goals, make sacrifices, and strive relentlessly to grab hold of this irresistible reward. A portion reach what they've aimed for, while the rest spend their entire life trying.

For others of us, there is an adverse effect. The American Dream has become something very frightening. Some of the elite would have you believe, if you don't succeed, you aren't working hard enough. They feel that you have been given the same opportunities as the next person and there is no excuse if failure occurs, other than your own laziness. Those thoughts create the fears of either 1. Inadequacy or 2. Failure The reality of it all is that no matter how hard we work, the number of hours, or the amount of dedication, most of us won’t ever achieve that Dream.

Society shows that “Keeping up with the Jones's” should be your way of life. We watch television, and see so many material things in commercials and music videos. We go on social media and see pictures of celebrity homes, clothing, and jewelry. We go to the mall and see the different designer brands of shoes and handbags through the store-front windows. It can all be so overwhelming. It increases our desire to have it all, that we'll give our right arm to have such great treasures. That's exactly what some of us do. We beg, borrow, and steal to gain it, in hopes of feeling like we have a part (even if only a small portion) of The New American Dream. Our hunger continues to grow; the more we see, the more we want. That type of void can never be satisfied since there will always be more to gain. We fall into debt over our heads and still go out and buy more things we can’t afford. It grows into an addictive cycle that affects everyone around us. I personally know some families who care so much about material things that they can’t even afford to keep groceries in their home. Whatever you have is enough. You are enough. You were born equip with all the things you need to fulfill the life that has been promised to you. You are not defined by what you have or what you don't. (Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions (Luke 12:15 NIV))

In comparison to the fear of inadequacy, I feel the fear of failure is more powerful. This fear will allow many opportunities and blessings to pass you by. You will never get those back and it could create a life filled with resentment and regret. We doubt our abilities to accomplish The New American Dream. Instead of giving the world an invitation to watch us fail, we refuse to try. This hits close to home because I've been there before and it’s a dark and lonely place to be in. You see past high school/college classmates accomplish so much in the same amount of time you've been granted and you feel like you'll never catch up to that, so why try? That fear keeps you from being your true self. You may have dreams of your own but feel that society won’t accept them. Take a second and think back to who you used to be; the things you used to do, the places you used to go, and the people you used to associate yourself with. You have accomplished great things of your own. Never compare the strides you've made to anyone else. We are all individuals who come from different walks of life, have had different life experiences, and deal with struggles, pain, and grief in multiple ways. Your own personal dream may not include material things, but it may consist of a blessed life full of joy, peace, happiness. God is the only person you have to impress. So what if you aspire to work at Wal-Mart, McDonalds, or even be a garbage man for the rest of your life? Who are they to condemn you and tell you your dreams aren't good enough? Own your life and live it the best way you know how.