We have all heard the saying, "You always want what you can't have." The other day, my little cousin asked if I have ever heard the saying "Don't press the red button." I was confused by this, because I thought it was just a funny meme. I went home and searched the internet to see if it was a quote or saying, but found nothing besides memes and computer games. After reflecting, suddenly the underlying meaning kind of hit me and I realized that it should be a saying.
We all get caught up with the "red buttons" in life. The enticing red color that you can't seem to ignore, full of the promise of a rush of adrenaline and feeling of rebelliousness, literally daring you to do what you know that you shouldn't: press it. We play the "what if" game and are always tempted with the things that we don’t have, and become ungrateful for the things that we do. It is human nature to do just this, but I truly believe that it is a root of unhappiness. Most of us rarely take the time to count our blessings and cherish the things that we do have. The following paragraph includes some personal red buttons that I have faced in my life.
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First, being in a committed, long-term relationship, I have been tempted by the red button of the "no strings attached single life." Second, as a person who has always been a “goody-two-shoes” and rarely "goes out and lives it up," I have been tempted by the red button of "losing control and being young and reckless.” Lastly, I have always been in school, currently working toward my doctorate degree, and have been tempted by the red button of “dropping out of school to run away and leave everything behind,” including all of the hard work that I have put in over the years.
Isn't it all so tempting? We feel that life would be easier if we gave in to our red buttons, but you know what? You chose the amazing people in your life, your lifestyle and your life journey for a reason. Don't ever lose sight of that.
I know for a fact that if I seriously broke things off with my gorgeous boyfriend of four years to try out the single life, that I would miss him like crazy, and want what I no longer have: him.
If I went out and did reckless things trying to "fulfill my youth," I know that eventually I would get bored of it and suddenly miss what I no longer have: staying in and reading a good book, only occasionally allowing myself to go out and lose control.
When it comes to the long haul of school, sometimes it is tough to see the light at the end of the tunnel, and is so tempting to just drop out and run away to start fresh. However, I know that the moment I did this, once I got over the short-term excitement of going somewhere new, I would again want what I no longer have: the rewarding journey to achieving my dream of becoming a pediatric physical therapist.
I know that not pressing the red button is something that I personally struggle with, and I'm sure that many of you do as well. Especially living in such an advanced world where we want immediate gratification, it is tough to not give into the temptations presented to us. I recently have begun writing down what I am thankful for every night and reaching out to people to let them know that their presence in my life is more important than any silly red button. This has been such a positive and humbling experience for me, and it really has made me so much more grateful for the blessings that I have been given.
Sometimes it feels like the red button is everything, and that we are tempted because "Maybe it's what is actually meant to be" or "I wouldn't be tempted by it if it weren’t a good option." Don’t let the red buttons of life fool you. You gotta know when you have a good thing and hold on to it. Be happy with what you have, and remember that the things we choose to indulge in because we can‘t have them turn into the things we become ungrateful for because we do have them. It is a never-ending cycle that we can completely avoid with new perspective and self-control.
So, “don’t press the red button.” It will take time, but this is something that we really should all focus on. For those of you who have cried over the consequences of loss and regret for pressing the red button, I hope that you have learned your lesson, because I know that I certainly have. Make sure that you count your blessings and let people know that you love them and appreciate their presence in your life. Most importantly though, when you face a red button, look away and walk right past with your head held high and middle fingers raised, because I promise nothing good will come from pressing the red button.
