I read a comment recently in a post about finding and identifying people and organizations that are working hard to make this insane world we live in a better place.
Someone noted that she knows a person who lives a very contented life. She loves her garden. She loves her books, and she loves having a quiet, cozy place in which to read. She is content with her life.
That started me thinking.
How many of us in today’s topsy-turvy, divided, antagonistic, hate-filled world, can say we are genuinely content? I’d like to think I am, but in reality, I’m not, at least not all of the time.
Perhaps, rather than getting on the I-should-be-happy treadmill, or the I-would-be happy-if-only treadmill, we should work instead on being content, or finding what one blogger defines as 'peaceful satisfaction.'
Although our modern world pushes us to earn more, own more, do more, what if we started to appreciate what we have rather than worrying about what we do not have. Enjoy your life as it is now. Don't stress about what you want it to be. Focus on your talents, not on the things you aren't good at. Try to develop and improve your skills and strengths. I continually work on being a better photographer and a better writer. This doesn't mean we shouldn't work on our weaknesses, but accept them and try to do better. .
Focus on the positives in your life, rather than on the negatives. Spending too much energy on the negatives -- and our world certainly is full of them -- can pull us into a downward spiral. Many people find it useful to keep a gratitude journal, or to jot down five things each day for which they are grateful. (Five is not a magic number; you can pick any number you choose. The important thing is stopping to think about the things/people/pets/opportunities for which you are grateful each day).
It seems we are in for a rough road again, as the coronavirus and its deadly mutations come roaring back. So this might be a good time to work on being content with what we have, rather than on the challenges ahead.
According to some whose writings I have read, we can cultivate a sense of contentedness. Some of the suggested ways to do this are to practice mindfulness (much has been written about this). Accept all your emotions without judging. Accept them, then let them go. And finally, recognize the mental contingencies in your life. "I would be really happy if I get that big promotion."
I am going to focus on being content with my life. It will be challenging, but I like challenges, so I will give it a try. How about you?
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