6 Ways to Foster Contentment in Your Life

Let yourself relax and live without having to compare yourself to others. Maples Images/Shutterstock

The Taoist teacher Lao Tzu once said, “Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” Indeed, fostering a state of contentment is fundamental to a happy and peaceful life.

For many people, though, a feeling of contentment is difficult to maintain and not frequently experienced. The content we consume, the comparisons we make, and the notions we’ve developed throughout our lives can all lead us to pine away for something more, better, bigger, finer, greater, etc. It’s one thing to aim for certain goals in life, but another entirely to endlessly strive without being able to enjoy and be satisfied with what is.

The good thing about finding contentment is that you need not change anything about your life, just your thoughts about your life. With a shift in mindset, you can indeed “rejoice in the way things are.”

Take Stock

So, how are things? What about your life, or life in general, can you be grateful for? Do you have a roof over your head and clothes on your back? Do you have people you care for and a community you are a part of? Are you grateful for this planet orbiting around the sun with precision and the breeze that floats through your windows in the morning?

A sense of discontent is generated when our thoughts are focused on that which we don’t have or the way things aren’t. A sense of gratitude comes from focusing on all the amazing blessings we’ve been bestowed with in life.

Take out a pen and paper and jot down as many small and big things you can think of to be grateful for. Once you get going, you’ll likely find the ideas pouring through you. Though everyone has their struggles, there is so much to be grateful for.

The Natural Course

While we all set goals, make plans, and prepare for the future, we often find that life doesn’t go according to plan. “We make plans, and God laughs,” as they say. While planning is useful for setting one’s direction, it is also useful to remember that we’re not fully in charge of this whole affair.

Depending on what you believe about life, most people can see that even when things don’t go according to plan or go terribly wrong, in the end there is usually a silver lining, a lesson learned, or sometimes even a much better long-term outcome than could have been imagined.

When we remember that there is a bigger picture at play, we can reduce our angst about what we perceive to be lacking and instead appreciate the arrangement that is.

Slow Down

To further enhance your appreciation for life, try slowing down and maintaining a singular focus. If you’re washing the dishes, focus only on the dishes and take your time to do a good job. If you’re working on a project, remove distractions and focus on that project alone. Take time to work methodically and carefully, and look for the aspects of this work you can particularly enjoy.

Take care of the blessings in your life—your family, your friends, your home, and your food. Be mindful when tending to the various aspects of your life and strengthen the habit of noticing how miraculous it all is.

Forego Comparison

What trips many of us up along our path to contentment is a tendency to compare ourselves to others, or more accurately, our perception of others. It’s important to remember that we are all precious and unique and our lives are not the same. When you can forego comparison and stay in your lane, contentment is easier to come by. If you’re going to compare yourself to anyone, compare yourself to who you were yesterday and try to improve just a little bit in some way.

Free Yourself of Jealousy

If you find yourself feeling envious of other people’s good fortune or jealous and resentful of others when you see them succeeding or enjoying life, pause for a moment and consider what those negative thoughts are doing to your heart and mind. Jealousy can color many aspects of life and flies in the face of any possibility of feeling content.

Try to let go of jealousy gradually. Replace envy with celebration for other’s good news. Train yourself to foster compassion for others and feel genuinely happy for them.

Count Your Blessings

Each night, before bed, list the things you’re grateful for on that day. If you make the practice of gratitude a habit, fostering a sense of contentment will become second nature.