Hand on the wheel, I was driving into work the other day.
I sighed as I drove into the parkade. After pulling into a parking space and turning off my car, I just sat there for a moment. Thinking about the stresses of the day. Thinking about the goals I had that felt so distant and out of reach. My head dropped.
But then I stopped. Looked up. And a smile spread across my face.
Because I remembered something… it was less than a year ago that I was wishing I had the life I have now. And that’s when it hit me: If I can’t be happy without success, then I won’t be happy with it.
The Truth About Your Discontent in Life
Here’s the deal: Discontent is the default for us as humans.
We always think that the grass will be greener on the other side of the fence. But then we get there… And we quickly return to that baseline feeling. The key is to stopping this is to learn how to grateful for what you already have (while continuing to strive for what you want).
One important thing to understand though: Discontent in life is not always bad.
In fact, I would argue it’s a useful and necessary feeling for ALL of us. We never would have created cities, airplanes, vehicles, products, services, etc., that make modern life so comfortable if it weren’t for our natural discontent.
How to Manage That Feeling of Discontent
I want to revisit the story I shared with you in the introduction about my own discontent in life. There were two simple things I did to quickly move past that feeling. Let’s explore each of them in a little more detail:
- Practice gratitude: I went from looking at what I didn’t have to being grateful for what I did have. There’s something about gratitude that puts you at ease from an emotional standpoint. When you’re grateful, you feel like you already have enough. And ironically, that actually makes you more like to get what you want even faster.
- Looked at how far you’ve come: The second thing I did was look back at the ground that I already covered. In doing so, I realized that everything I wanted less than a year ago was what I currently had today. That put things into perspective fast.
Discontent in life is a byproduct of not looking at and appreciating what is already yours. But when you make that shift? You’ll feel better about your circumstances without needing anything to change.
Learning to Appreciate What You Already Have
This process is an art. It requires a persistent focus on being present. Staying in the moment. Why? Because when you let your mind wander into the future, daydreaming about the accolades and material possessions you don’t currently have, you lose sight of the magic that’s already all around you.
So make a commitment to being more present by:
- Prayer: Every morning I say a quick prayer to express my gratitude for my life and all the things I currently have. It centers for from an emotional standpoint and helps me appreciate everything that I already have. Game changer.
- Journaling: I haven’t missed a day of journaling in over 7 years. And for good reason. Journaling is the catalyst for leading a more gracious daily life. Why? Because rather than just expressing gratitude verbally, you’re writing down those same advantages. This makes it feel more real and concrete in the mind, which enhances the feeling.
These suggestions will help reduce your discontent in life. You’ll see that there’s a lot more you have to be grateful than you originally thought. As a result, you’ll walk around with more appreciation for all the good things you’ve got going for you.
Final Thoughts
Life gets better when you stop needing it get better.
Now, that doesn’t mean you should quit growing and moving toward your goals and dreams. This is not a pass for complacency. But rather, it’s an opportunity to realize that you don’t need anything else to be happy.
I know that’s easier said than done.
However, when you lock it in, it becomes an instant quality-of-life booster from an emotional perspective.
