DON'T BE FOOLED BY THE NEW AND SHINY…

Today, I want to talk to you about why you shouldn't be taken in and fooled by the new and shiny things that you come across in life. Whenever something new comes along, it's really exciting, isn't it? And you convince yourself that you just have to have it, as it will make your life so much better.

It's funny how we always convince ourselves that this is the thing that will finally sort everything out for us. But here's what I've learned over the years. We usually ditch things that actually work and have stood the test of time, just because something new appears.

This leaves us constantly chasing new things and never satisfied with what we have. In fact, we are often unhappier, not happier, because we later find that the thing we bought isn’t much better than what we had. We have additional unhappiness knowing we have now wasted hard-earned money on something we didn't need.

The real issue here isn't that new things exist, it's that we assume that new equals better, without question. Also, when we keep jumping to the next new thing, we waste time and energy restarting, relearning, readjusting etc. We also lose track of what matters; does it work, not is it new.

Here are some examples:

- You see people wanting the latest phones or gadgets. But their current phone or gadget works just fine. People spend a fortune on upgrades they don't need and, two weeks later, they can't usually even remember what's different about the new thing they bought!

- Someone buys every kitchen gadget that they see, uses it once, then puts it on a shelf, or it sits in a cupboard forevermore. Yet their mum's been cooking amazing meals for decades with just a decent pan, or another basic kitchen utensil. Says it all really.

- There's always someone trying every new fitness trend; one month it's this, the next month it's that; they never seem to stick with anything long enough to see results, but meanwhile, their friend, who runs or cycles just three times a week, always looks brilliant and is much healthier. ​ - People often ignore brilliant books, just because they're old, chasing whatever's trending instead. Yet it is those old books that are still around, because they're actually good. The trendy ones? Forgotten in six months.

That said, I’m not suggesting we reject everything new outright, just because it is new. Some innovations genuinely make life better. For example, medical breakthroughs, safety improvements, or tools to solve real problems. The trick, though, is working out if something's actually better or not, or if it just appeals to our magpie instincts.

So, today, please appreciate what's already working, before you start rushing off to buy the next new thing. And remember that you shouldn't let yourself be fooled by the new and shiny!