Is it possible to be happy with what you have and not want what you don't/can't have?

Well. I think being content with what you have doesn’t mean you shouldn’t strive for more or a better life. Then again wanting better things or to be happier or whatever also in my opinion should not mean that you aren’t content with what you currently have. Yes I think it’s possible but us humans are greedy and rarely happy and the grass is always greener on the other side…but, i’d say its possible. It’s just human nature to always want more or something different.

Sure it’s possible. There’s a lot of things I want to have & do that I know will never happen. But I’m cool with that. I have more than most have, I think. So I’m content with my life just the way it is.

Yes. It’s called enlightment. It’s very rare.

On the other hand, I’m pretty happy with what I have, even though there are some things I want, most of them are not a big deal.

I think that I am lucky. I fear possessions. I don’t drive and I move a lot so when I do move it is a huge pain in the ass. Right now all my stuff will fit in the back of my sisters Volvo. The last thing I bought for myself that wasn’t food or beer was a new hard drive to replace the one that died. And that was about six months ago.

That reminds me. I should buy new shoes today. Mine are stinky.

When speaking of materil things, it may be a bad thing to want more, but what about wanting, love, happness, copanionship?

@oreo45 Desire is the cause of all suffering.

Some people can do that. I am always wanting more.

Of course it is possible to be happy. It’s all about acceptance. Nobody can have everything they want. There are many people that are content who still long for things they can’t/won’t have. People set goals – when these are achieved new goals are usually set. It is human nature. But if goals are to be met, one must set them using the SMART objectives. There is no point in one sitting around the house all day feeling sorry for themselves that they do not have something. Goals need to be set and they must be (S)pecific, (M)easureable, (A)chieveable, (R)ealistic & (T)ime bound.

I don’t think so…
W all have that incomprehensible need to go a step further, since we are kids, we want the shiny new toy at the kinder, and we fight for it (because there is only one shiny new toy), at any field in high school, if you are the star and the football team, you want to be better that the star of that other school, or you want to be the top of you class and win all the academic contests because being 2nd is like being the #1 loser, then you want to go to the top Uni you can afford, get the best job possible within your limitations, have a better car than your friends (because you always compare yourself with those around you), we always want more, and more, and then our children and it keeps going on and on, no one wants to be just sitting there watching how your life passes by, it’s true, there will be a lot of frustrations, is just that… we can’t help it we need to do it…

All it takes for me is to be reminded of the less fortunate. Compared to so many people on this Earth, my life is perfect.

Yes it is possible, but it is evolutionarily countermanding.
Greed, at its root, leads to fitness and the fittest survive.

Now to your more specific point I believe that yes you can. It will not happen until you are truly happy with where you are and what you have. Until you reach this equilibrium you will continue to strive for what you think constitutes this happiness.

Now also keep in mind that this equilibrium shifts throughout life. Your definition of happiness will be different between when you are in high school and when you are in college and when you are newly married, etc.

@sliceswiththings I agree. Last Thursday, I went on a tour with a group through our local YWCA facility. OMG! These women & kids have nothing. They have no place to go & no means to get there. We took in a boat load of clothes in for these women. I told Mr. JB that it smacked me right in the forehead at just how lucky I am. Seeing something like that is very humbling.

Yes. There are things I’d like to have, but not having them isn’t going to make me give up what I do have. I’ve got it pretty good, at least from my point of view. Compared to others which is something I really try not to do not so much.

There have been a lot of studies on happiness lately, and the interesting thing is that they seem to be agreeing that the values emphasized in religions – compassion, love of all, charity and simplicity – seem to lead to greater happiness.
Link

To keep myself satisfied with what I have I’m always reminding myself that the grass never turns out to be greener on the other side. And the sooner people start realizing that, the sooner everyone can be happy with what they have and stop envying what they don’t.

Sure. I am.

Yes, of course it’s possible. Not only that it’s possible to be happy with what you have and still want more. I am a perfect example of that. I am happy every day, and to quote my favorite philosopher, Ashleigh Brilliant “All I want is a little more than I’ll ever get” ©

Humans are inherently flawed in many ways. This is just one of them.

Yes. But it takes a while to realize that.

You may be interested in this site: link
There are apparently many people asking questions similar to yours