Consider how you make your choices. Do you make decisions the way God guides you, or do you decide to do something because you hope doing so will make you feel just as good, or better, than others? Do you make each choice because it’s the right thing to do, or do you compare yourself with others and figure out how to keep up with them? Do you frequently feel pressure when you make decisions, and do you often regret the choices you make? Trying to maintain a certain lifestyle or a certain feeling won’t likely lead you to the best choices. Trusting God to guide you is the only way to consistently make wise decisions.

Realize that escaping is futile. No matter how hard you may try to escape life’s mundane duties for a glamorous lifestyle like those the media celebrates, it’s impossible to escape ordinary life. So stop wasting time and energy trying to escape, and accept that toil is a fact of life (you’ve got to work to support yourself, you must cook to eat, etc.) and consequences are unavoidable (if you charge an impulse purchase to your credit card, you have to pay it off when the bill comes, and if you drive too fast, you can get in an accident, etc.). Realize that true fulfillment isn’t found in escaping ordinary life, but by connecting to God’s presence in the middle of it.

Think about others. Even though the media urges you to indulge in a self-absorbed lifestyle, remember the many other people who share this planet with you. Many poor and disenfranchised people have less than you – and to them, your lifestyle is something about which they can only dream. Ask God to give you His perspective on your lifestyle, so instead of constantly feeling discontent and wanting to acquire more, you’re grateful for what you have already. Honestly consider the responsibility you have as a Christian to help those who have less than you do.

Embrace your true significance. Realize that, unlike what the media tells you, you don’t have to be famous, popular, rich, smart, accomplished, or good-looking in order to be significant. God values you tremendously – no matter what – and He has significant purposes for your life.

Get rid of the plastic Jesus on the shelf of your life. Don’t reduce Jesus to a figure you think is nice but don’t really rely on. Help your relationship with Him come alive by trading in a nice lifestyle for a way of life that follows His guidance daily. Don’t settle for just believing in Jesus but living however you’d like; trust Him with every part of your life and invite Him to truly transform you. Expect that, while living your life radically for Jesus will involve some tough times and sacrifices, it will also lead to much greater fulfillment than you could ever enjoy from the “good life” the media promotes.