How to Be Contented With What You Have

When you practice contentment you can say to yourself, ‘Oh yes I already have everything that I really need’. — Dalai Lama

Editor’s Note: Guest article submitted by Alden Tan.

Have you ever felt frustrated and unsatisfied with whatever that’s going on in your life?

You may have a job, but you keep wondering about when you’ll be promoted.

You may have many friends around you, but sometimes they annoy you and you don’t even feel like hanging out with them.
It always seemed to be that way for me.

I used to want a lot of things in life. Some moments I even wished so hard for something to happen faster, like finishing up my stint with the army.

When that day finally came, the feeling was bittersweet. I didn’t jump for joy or start celebrating. Instead, I wondered about what I was going to do with my life from then on.

It was very clear in my head, “Why am I not as happy as I should be? What’s wrong?”.

I wanted more, or maybe even less. I wondered if I was too greedy or just crazy.

It never ends.

Sounds like your life?

We never seem to be happy

The aforementioned bittersweet feeling seems to be very persistent, no matter what we do in life. Whether it’s not being satisfied with what we currently have, or after working hard to get something.

We never seem to be filled up and happy.

We’re unhappy with a lot of things, like our work, people around us, family, our next project or our lives in general.

The worst part is, we don’t actually realize how great our lives are.

We never stop wanting more in life

Which is why we don’t know how to be contented with what we have.

We keep thinking that there’s something greater out there or some of us believe that life is a never-ending journey which changes as we go along.

We always look ahead in the future, and forget about what we have going on for ourselves today.

We also tend to compare ourselves with other people and the things they have, hence overseeing how great we actually are.

How to be contented with what you have

As long as you live, there’re many reasons to be happy and contented. It’s easy to get lost in the world, but let’s go back the roots of it all to active realization of being happy today.

1) Stop comparing yourself with others

Stop it.

Stop comparing with others in terms of their looks, strengths, talents or abilities.

Stop comparing with others’ possessions; what they own.

Realize that everyone is born special, each with their own unique character and a different journey in life. Be very aware of how great you already are.

Just stop, and reflect on your own life for a moment. A lot of us are caught up in the confusion of life and society that we keep looking at others, so much so we forget about ourselves. We forget how great we are and the great things we’ve done in life.

2) Be in the now

This works pretty much the same as not comparing yourself with others.

Stop comparing your current situation, or whatever that’s happening in front of you with something else you could possibly be doing.

For example, if you’re washing the dishes, it’d of course be extremely easy to think of other things you could be doing, like watching TV. We always want to have more fun or productive, hence the comparing.

Stop thinking of other things.

Instead, be in the now. Accept whatever that’s happening in front of you. Try to appreciate the little things in life. If you’re washing dishes, notice the flow of water from the tap. Listen to the sound of water. See how the dishes become clean and come forth to perfection.

Maybe this comes across as a little cheesy to some. But if anything, even if you don’t want to be marvelled by every little thing in life, it at least gets your mind off whatever else that doesn’t even exist!

3) Others have it worse

Whoever you are and where ever you are in life, at least one of the 7 billion people on this planet has it worse off than you.They could be poorer, not have a job, not have food or water, lack friends or family, or they’re just plain depressed with life.

You may not see it very often, such people do exist.

They’re out there and are unhappy and probably even wish they could be you.

It also wouldn’t be necessary to actually go through what they experience to realize that you already have it good on your own. It’s unrealistic to say, starve yourself for a month or quit your job tomorrow.

Instead, be thankful for what you have today. Express your gratitude for everything that has worked out for you.

Then try to help others so they can enjoy life like you.

Everything works out in abundance

This is not to say you’re going to strike the lottery soon or get everything you want in life tomorrow.

The universe is abundant. And it works out in a way perfect for you.

Accept that today and you’ll start to see life differently.

Author bio:

Alden Tan is a rockstar blogger who’s also a breakdancer. He quit his job to follow his dream of being a writer. He blogs about personal development, inspiration and passion, on the real! And he does it all with style by not caring about what others think.

Editor’s Note: Share Your Thoughts

Not being contented can cause much pain and suffering. We end up feeling bitter and like a victim. Not being contented amounts to poverty consciousness. We find it hard to focus on the good that is going on in our lives.

What are your thoughts about contentment? Do you have any insights or tips to share about shifting from complaints to contentment?

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