Chasing Happiness………….

I had everything I ever wanted, drove dream cars, travelled the world, people around me told me I was successful, but really, I was not very happy at all. I did what I guess a lot of people do these days in our consumer mad western society, I went out or probably more accurately went online and bought yet more stuff – I was spending money quicker than I was making it all in an attempt to buy my way to happiness, which had to be just around the corner – maybe it will come with the iPhone 8! 

 

I was living for ‘stuff’, I wonder how much living I missed out on in the pursuit of buying more stuff?

 

I had exchanged purpose for possessions, and a life without purpose is no life at all!

 

It is almost a year ago that I resigned from my amazing job as CEO of the business I co-founded and still love. It has been a slow journey towards my new growing self-awareness. I am now sure my future will be far more about serving the needs of others rather than serving myself – But that is probably for another blog as this one is about sunglasses!

 

 

About 5 years ago I had laser eye surgery. One of the consequences of this was that I had no use for the 2 pairs of prescription sunglasses I owned, one “fashion” pair and one for cycling.

 

On my ongoing hunt for happiness one of the things I started to buy was sunglasses. I never bought cheap glasses and could always justify buying another pair!

 

Oakley Fast Jacket XL – Great pair of cycling glasses, I bought these in Leeds not long after I had the surgery done.

Ebay Link

 

 

Oakley Racing jackets – This really is where that madness begins – My first pair of cycling glasses are perfect, do the job, look great etc – however after crashing in stage 16 of the 2015 Tour de France, Geraint Thomas lost his old Oakley Racing Jackets. “They don’t even make them anymore”, Thomas told Velo News at the end of the race. So in the pursuit of happiness I jumped on eBay and bought a pair second hand, and paid more than when they were new!

 

Ray Ban aviators – Went on a trip to New Zealand where I bought myself this pair – Everybody should have a pair of aviators I thought – What a prick! Ebay Link

 

 

Ray Ban Clubmaster – On a trip to London I thought it a good idea to own a smart pair of glasses to wear with a suit! Ebay Link

 

Ray Ban Andy – Because everyone needs a Men in Black pair – These were bought in Sydney so probably cost 50% too much!

 

 

Ray Ban ??? – Well these are temporally misplaced! But these are to be worn with denim!!!

 

Oakley limited edition signed Shaun White (whoever he is) Holbrook glasses – I bought these in Manly in Sydney from the Oakley shop, I found the most attractive female member of staff and asked her to help me choose the most outrageous pair of glasses she thought I could get away with! – Double prick! Ebay Link

 

I can probably justify owning 2 pairs of sunglasses – So most of my sunglasses collection is now on eBay, 100% of the sales price will be given to Cica UK and that money will go to support people in Africa that materially have almost nothing but maybe are already closer to that elusive happiness.

 

I am on a journey towards deburdening my life of anything, stuff, thoughts, relationships that don’t bring joy to me or maybe more importantly other people around me!

 

Feel free to subscribe to my blog or Facebook page to join me on this journey as I document my self-discovery – as I stop chasing happiness and start relentlessly pursuing God’s intended purpose for my life.