What is contentment? It’s a state of happiness and satisfaction. What does it mean to you? I love this photo. I love to swing. As a kid, you couldn’t keep me off of the swing set. I was always drawn to the swing regardless and learned how to fly high by myself. I even own a hammock chair now that swings.
Are you content? Are you happy? Are you satisfied? Let me tell you something, you won’t be content, happy, satisfied in the future if you are not there in the present. I talk a lot about being present. It is important.
You want to have a vision for your future without question and I encourage that. But we are a culture driven with goals and accomplishment and where do you want to be in 5 years mentality. Again, I don’t disagree as I am a coach and I ask those questions.
However, more and more, I work with people to be awake where they are right now. There are situations that seem to hover over us and endeavor to keep us sidelined worrying about what will happen next. Been there, done that, still deal with it.
How do you arrive or work towards being content in your NOW? Gratitude is one prescription to begin with . If you look at a chart of energy levels, gratitude is the highest energy level. This has been measured by science, so I absolutely believe it and have experienced it in my life.
When I am grateful and happy, my mind is peaceful; my body feels better and overall, my life flows better. Worry, anger, fear, frustration are all at the lowest energy level. They snowball so fast that if you don’t know what you are thinking you will be out of control and an avalanche of negative emotions are heading your way – fast.
Being aware of what you are thinking and present to what you are doing is the starting point along with gratitude. Listen to the sounds around you. Open, really open your eyes to see what is around you. If you can see and hear, be thankful.
I hope that helps you start finding your place of contentment today. Take a deep breath, hold it a few seconds and then let it go! Oh, you can breathe too, be grateful.
Ready, set, swing…..
