Cultivating Contentment: Learning to Be Happy with What You Already Have
We live in a society that is constantly telling us that we should be striving for more. In the age of social media, it’s easy to get caught up in comparing our lives to others which can lead to feelings of inadequacy and frustration. While striving for more isn’t a bad thing, learning to acknowledge our hard work and accomplishments and practicing gratitude for the life we already have can help us to feel more content and allow us to be happy where we are. Here are 4 tips for practicing gratitude and cultivating contentment in your life.
Actively acknowledge the good in your life. Sometimes it can be so easy to get caught up in what we don’t have that we forget to appreciate what we do. Taking the time to acknowledge the positive things in your life can promote a feeling of gratitude and happiness in your daily life.
Focus on the now. Instead of looking forward to that promotion you need to earn or that vacation you want to take, focus on short term goals and tasks that will give you a sense of accomplishment as you work toward the bigger ones.
Let go of negative comparisons. It can be great to have mentors and people we look up to as we work toward our goals. But if you find yourself feeling bad about yourself rather than motivated and excited it might be because you’re comparing yourself to others and judging yourself harshly. Learning to be happy for others without letting their accomplishments take away from your own can help you feel more content
Take a social media break. Social media can be a great way to connect us to family and friends but it can also be a source of anxiety or resentment. Taking a break from social media can help you to re-focus on what is important. Remember, social media is not always what it seems. You’re comparing your behind the scenes to someone else’s highlight reel.