10 Best Ways To Live A Contented Life
We have all had this feeling at some point in our lives. You know you have everything to be thankful for, yet you find yourself still nagging about not having enough. You always have this feeling of unfulfillment, boredom, restlessness, you become complacent about your whole life. You can indeed be happier by making some life changes, but the easiest way to be feel content is to adjust your perspective and actions which help you appreciate what you have.
Contentment is all about appreciating what you have and where you are in life, instead of wishing things were different. This doesn’t mean you should settle for the little things you got. That’s far from it. You should instead set a goal for yourself, continue to dream bigger. It will give you a purpose to work diligently towards, and remember to enjoy the journey, don’t rush it. It doesn’t matter who gets there first, what matters is we all get there. You are not in a competition with anyone.
You see, contentment makes it possible to feel relieved and fulfilled on the inside while going through an outer struggle. This is because you can easily celebrate the good things in your life and just work through the bad once. Yeah, it’s that simple for a content person.
You want to be happy with your life, then practice contentment. Below are several ways that will help you become a more content person.
10 Best Ways To Live A Contented Life
1. Live In The Present
The happiest people in life are those who enjoy and embrace the present instead of staying stuck in the past or obsessing over what the future might turn out to be. Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have. Make NOW the primary focus in your life.
Though thinking of the past can help you learn from your mistake and thinking of the future can help you set a goal for yourself and to become a good planner, understand that there is no better way to be happy than to focus on what you are doing right now.
Learn to focus only on the present. The past is unchangeable so it is futile to reflect on it unless you are making sure you do not repeat the same mistake. The future is but a result of your actions today. So learn from the past to do better in the present so that you can succeed in the future. Stop acting as if life is a rehearsal, live this day like it we’re your last. Savour every minute of it. The past is over and gone, the future is not yet guaranteed. Today is the right day to love, live, and believe cause what you are now will give birth to what you become in the future.
2. Let Gratitude Be Your Attitude
Instead of focusing on all the things you don’t have or the things you want or the dreams that have not realized themselves, why not take that precious time to appreciate how lucky you are. Don’t forget there are millions of people who are wishing to be in your position, think about them and just be grateful.
Your life may not be as perfect as you wished for. But there’s surely something to be grateful for, a nice home, a family, great friends, good health; or probably you don’t have any of these things. I assure you that no matter how small, there’s always something to remind you to always be grateful for the life you’re living.
Write a gratitude list every weekend, spend time with nature to appreciate the beauty of this life. Gratitude turns what we have into enough.
If you can’t be grateful for what you have what makes you think that you’d be happy with more. Be thankful for what you have, you’ll end up having more, if you concentrate on what you don’t have you’ll never, ever have enough.
Don’t spoil what you have by desiring what you have not, remember that what you have was once among the things you hoped for.
3. Appreciate Little Things
Every little detail in your life counts. So be grateful for the air you breathe, the food you eat, for the place you have to lay your head, for sunshine and rainbows. Focus on those little things and just be grateful you’re alive. No matter how horrible your day went, just sit back and think of at least three things that made it worthwhile.
Sometimes we get caught up trying to accomplish something big, that we fail to notice the little things that give life its magic.
Little things of this life are what births the big things you’re hoping for. Be grateful.
4. Have A Purpose
If you want to be content with your life and what it has been to offer you, then you have to find a meaning that makes life worth living. It doesn’t have to be some fancy career either. It could be anything else as long as it’s something you love. Make a habit of doing the things you love as much as you can, and find the thing you love if you don’t have anything to be happy about.
If you have a strong purpose, you don’t have to be pushed. Your passion will drive you there.
If you can’t figure out your purpose. Figure out your passion, for your passion will lead you right into your purpose.
Know that the purpose of living is not to be happy, as a matter of fact, happiness is not something you can look for. Purpose makes you useful, honourable, compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well. Turn what you love into a career and see what yourself so happy to wake up every morning and feel content at the end of the day.
5. Stop Comparing Yourself
This habit is another way people keep themselves from being truly happy and fulfilled. Stop thinking about your friend’s great new job, your neighbor’s beautiful relationship, your colleague’s new promotion when you both started together. You can never get anywhere with comparing yourself with anyone.
Here’s the thing, you’re not better than anyone, no one is better than you. There’s always someone out there prettier, richer, stronger, happier, healthier, and just more together than you. So why look when it is only going to unease your life.
The circle of jealousy is never-ending. You’re jealous of someone, someone out there is jealous of you, there’s also someone jealous of that person who is jealous of you. And so it goes. You’ll be doing yourself a favor if you live outside of this encirclement.
I’m not saying envy is inevitable, just don’t let other people’s life get the best of you, wishing for their life is wishing for their problems as well. You don’t know the pain they are trying to conceal behind those smiles. You don’t know if they have a few months to live so they are trying to cover up a wish list.
Instead of wishing to be like someone, spend that effort being the best of you. Because the best of you is the best person you can be, and no one can act it out more than you. So take out anything that makes you feel intimidated by other people’s life; social media, friends, whatever it is. Get rid of it and love being you.
6. Remember Happiness Is A Choice
People estimate happiness by having a successful career, a luxurious car, a big mansion, or a huge savings account. Happiness cannot be bought with money or any material thing, it is a choice only you can make within you despite what life brings your way. Always say to yourself, “I’m happy being me.”
Being happy now shows how happy you’ll be in the future. So this decision affects you beyond your now. It also affects your physical well-being positively.
7. Don’t Forget That Money Isn’t Everything
Money is important but it is not everything. Think about the things you already have that money can’t buy.
Money can change the wrapping paper over your life but not the gift inside. You might have more now than you use to, but in a long run, you’ll discover it is not what makes you content with your life.
Money has made everyone unhappy. The rich are afraid of losing it, the poor dismay is not having it.
Once you have enough money to pay for your basic necessities and have some fun. Having a better-paying job will not have a dramatic effect on your happiness. Sure having a bigger house is cool and comforting but in the end, you’ll realize it’s just you living in a bigger house.
Money is very important but it’s not everything. If you spend all your time worrying about making more then what time will have left to enjoy it. Remember money can’t buy contentment if you’re not content with yourself.
8. Accept Disappointment And Failure
Failing once in a while reminds you that you don’t have to be good at everything you try, this will help you feel more content.
Things won’t always go your way, there’s gonna be a time you try something and it fails. Love it. Yeah, it’s crazy but it’s true. Sometimes just enjoy failing, be it when you’re alone or in front of others. Remember everyone is a failure at something, so who cares what they think.
You applied for a job and you didn’t get hired, it’s part of life. Accept you’re disappointed and move on.
This will give you more confidence to be content with your position. You failed, so what. Show me a great man who hasn’t failed before, I’ll show you a successful fool.
Not all storms come to disrupt your life, some come to clear your path.
9. Simplify Your Life
People who are content with their lives typically don’t have anything to worry about. Life is simple but we insist on making it complicated.
Simplifying your life may not be as simple as it sounds but you will be able to simplify your life when you get clear on what is most important to you. The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak. Having more than what you really need is giving yourself more load to carry on your shoulders.
Sometimes in life, you just have to clear out your wardrobe, drawers, workspace, and your home and just get rid of all the things you don’t need anymore. You’ll breathe more easier and will be able to appreciate the things you do have.
The less you need the better you feel.
10. Make Time For Yourself
Treating yourself like you are worth the extra time will surely make you feel better about your life. It’s not selfish to just love yourself, take care of yourself, and make your happiness your priority. It’s necessary.
You’ve been working so hard so give yourself the credits. You deserve pampering. Practice self-love and the feeling that you’re enough, you’re important. It’s a time when you don’t need to spend any money but a way to enjoy your “me” time.
Don’t say you don’t have time, cause it’s not about “having” time but about “making” time.
Don’t let anyone or anything take away that “me” time of yours. You really have to love yourself to get things done in this world
CONCLUSION
Do the above and take time to get regular exercise. You need it to relax your mind.
Do you know you can just sit back and let the world within you stop for a while? That’s the time to relax and believe tomorrow will take care of itself.
See also;
12 WAYS ON HOW TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE FOR THE BETTER
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