Wanting Contentment
As long as we are alive, we will wrestle with restlessness, imperfection, and feeling ill at ease. We know life is not perfect, but we still strive for the illusion of perfection, but striving toward the illusion of perfection only produces discontentment.
Being perfectly happy right now with where we are begins with our mindset. Being content simply means we choose to find some tranquility and delight in what the present moment has to offer us. Becoming content is an ongoing practice of quieting the mind and for a moment, enjoying the moment.
Learning to be content begins with being aware of our thoughts. When our ideas linger on the ideal and how we can manipulate people or circumstances to our advantage, it is a sure sign we are discontent with our circumstances.
Another sure sign of discontentment is when we are ungrateful, when we mumble or complain. But whining only deepens our dissatisfaction.
When we believe that we are actually in charge of creating our own sense of contentment then we can begin to train our brain toward being satisfied with what we have and in turn, change our perspective.
Becoming aware of those thoughts that lead us down the path of discontentment, displeasure and dissatisfaction is the first step. The second step is to begin to notice what you can be grateful for in the moment.
Gratitude nurtures contentment and contentment nurtures gratitude. The ability to be at ease, unworried or untroubled, also builds our resilience to being tossed about and led astray by ideas that only produce hollow happiness.
On our recent vacation from northern Idaho to southern Utah we did not find what we’d hoped for; balmy temperatures. Instead, chilly winds blew.
So, instead of biking along paved pathways we found ourselves hiking and taking scenic sunny drives. Not what we’d imagined yet, finding contentment.
It is no surprise that we all want to be content, but maybe it is a surprise that contentment begins with us.
Why Bother?
Why bother wanting contentment? Changing our perspective from troubled to untroubled, from dissatisfied to satisfied, from ill at ease to at ease begins with changing our mind and changing our mind begins with a personal and intentional practice.
P.S. I wrote the story of my journey to forgiveness for those who need clarity when it comes to understanding forgiveness. You can find A Heart’s Journey To Forgiveness at Redemption Press and Amazon.
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