Finding Contentment...

The dictionary defines contentment as the state of being contented; satisfaction; ease of mind. Sounds pretty straight forward right? How many of us feel contented in our lives? 


Come on, let’s be honest.

So let’s run through our list:

1.     Good job                 check

2.     Roof over head       check

3.     Food on table         check

4.     Loving family           check

5.     Safe environment    check

6.     Healthy (almost)      check

I am sure many of you reading this post could answer YES to each of these items and yet we struggle for contentment, something is always eating away at us, causing us to be dissatisfied – when really, we should be very satisfied.

Whilst not exhaustive I think there are two enemies of contentment, they infect my life from time to time and I bet they infect yours – they are materialism and what I call financial anxiety.

The dictionary defines materialism as preoccupation with or emphasis on material objects, comforts, and considerations, with a disinterest in or rejection of spiritual, intellectual, or cultural values.  Basically you want more stuff all the time and you seek your ‘satisfaction’ from things – as we know this never ever satisfies.

I define financial anxiety as the fixation and constant concern over a persons finances which may be present or future, for example “ Do I have enough for retirement?”, “Am I being paid what my peers are?” or “Am I being paid what I am worth”.

I think these two elements are the chief thieves that rob us from contentment in our day to day lives and therefore if we wish to find greater contentment we need to take them on and change who we are and how we think.

I am not going to tell you how to fix materialism and financial anxiety because I am not sure I have all the answers and there are plenty of books and websites covering both topics. I will tell you that for me a couple of things I do are:

-    count the many blessings in my life
-    question myself every time I want something and ask why
-    realize I am paid well and have lots of time before retirement
-    make sure I am being wise with my spending and saving

If you are like me then I hope I have helped give you a little wake-up call. Please write to me and share your thoughts. Cheers!!!

Further as explained by Varsha Vinodkumar:

A simple definition of contentment is "Wherever you are is wherever you are meant to be, whatever you are doing is whatever you are meant to be doing, and whatever everyone else is doing is what they are meant to be doing."

To experience constant contentment, we need to become aware of all the things that make us discontent (dissatisfied) and free ourselves from those things (ideas, opinions, objects, people) - not reject them, but a detachment from them that brings back our inner freedom. This is accompanied by the experience of a deep, inner awareness of satisfaction and stillness, without dependency on anything outside us.

It is highly unlikely that we will arrive at this deep state of peace very soon - though we may touch it temporarily. It is only by understanding that everything is the way it is meant to be at every moment, both outside our minds and inside our minds, that we move closer to being content.

Contentment, however, does not mean that you have no aspirations in life. It does not mean that you do not set a goal or ideal in life. You could be content now and yet maintain the aspirations to grow in life. The desire when controlled becomes goals. Uncontrolled desires develop into avarice, greed or obsessions. To a man who has no legs, his happiness is in “having legs”. Ask a man who has two legs and he would say: “What is life? I am walking three kilometers a day. If only I had a bicycle, I will be very happy.” The man who owns a bicycle believes happiness lies in a scooter. Having acquired a scooter, he desires a car. After buying a car, he wishes he had a designer car. There is no end to the cravings of the mind. The principle of growth is when you convert your desire into an ambition, an aspiration. You could have a very high and lofty aspiration and yet remain content in the present. That is an art. It is a skill to be cultivated.