A post going viral online is making people think about something we don’t usually question enough: what really makes us happy.Sakshi, a working professional, shared something quite surprising.
Today, she earns Rs 2.5 lakh a month. But according to her, she was actually happiest when she was earning just Rs 15,000.Her story is simple, but it hits home.
When things felt simpler
Talking about her early days, she said, “I was genuinely happy at Rs 15,000.”Back then, life wasn’t complicated. She liked her work, felt content, and didn’t overthink things. There was no constant pressure to “do better” or earn more. She wasn’t looking at what others had.As her income grew, that feeling slowly started to change.
The role of comparison
With a higher salary came a different kind of pressure. She began noticing what people around her were earning, and that started affecting her mindset.She put it simply: “I realized it was never about the salary. It was the comparison that created dissatisfaction.”Even when she was earning Rs 1.5 lakh, it didn’t feel enough. Later, at Rs 2.5 lakh, the same feeling stayed.
It still felt “less” when she compared it to others.
A phase that changed her thinking
There was also a time when she wasn’t earning at all for a few months. That phase wasn’t easy, but it made her look at things differently.She shared, “That zero salary at month-end hit me hard. But it also made me realize that you should work on something you truly like. Now I work without thinking about others. No money or salary is less; it’s about your perception of how you want to live life.”
Why people are relating to this
A lot of people online connected with what she said. The comments show that many have felt something similar.One person wrote, “It’s far better to have a modest ‘lifestyle-adjusted’ income doing something that fuels your curiosity than to be a miserable high-earner suffering from ‘comparison fatigue.’ True wealth is the ability to ignore the scoreboard.”Another said, “That zero-salary phase hits different, though. It really forces you to rethink what actually matters.”And someone else summed it up in a simple line: “Satisfaction comes from purpose, not paychecks.”Disclaimer: This article is based on a post shared on social media. The views expressed are those of the individual and users quoted. The Times of India has not independently verified the claims.Thumb image: Canva (for representative purposes only)
