Daily Dharma 03: Be Content
(Guest post by David from DailyDharma.net)
Day 3: Be Content
“Be content with what you are, and wish not change; nor dread your last day, nor long for it.” — Marcus Aurelius
As I start to work on Daily Dharma, I want to stress what this blog is not: It is not another personal development blog. Personal development is for people who want to make themselves better. This blog is for people who want to experience life better.
Can you see the difference?
Photo by eyeore2710.
Today, Be Content With Who You Are and What You Have.
You see, I believe personal development too often stresses all of these things we do not have: the perfect body, unlimited wealth, a perfect relationship, infallible will power, etc.
While there is nothing wrong with striving to be healthier, wealthier, and wiser, I hope to focus on an even more important goal: being content.
But what is contentment, anyways? And how do you know if you are, in fact, content?
Often contentment and happiness are used interchangeably. But I do not think they are the same. I think it is possible to be content, but not necessarily happy, just as I think one can be happy but not content.
To me, happiness is temporary. Happiness is a long overdue reunion with a close friend, a success at work, or winning a competition. Happiness feels wonderful, but it cannot last forever, because soon the suffering that we feel everyday returns in some way, whether it is a bill that is due, a stressful email from our boss, or the desire for something we don’t have.
Unlike happiness, contentment has the power to overcome this suffering in a more lasting way.
Contentment is not permanent. (Nothing is permanent). But with practice, we can train ourselves to be content more of the time than we are discontent, and through such practice, begin to relieve our suffering.
In this way, contentment becomes the tool we use to be “happier” on a daily basis, even though “happiness” is not the right word.
Put simply, some of the things I believe define contentment include:
- Accepting ourselves, including our bodies, as God made us
- Not wanting what things we do not have
- Being present
- Being peaceful
- Not worrying
- Loving
- Eating
- Sleeping
- Awakening
- Breathing
What does contentment mean to you?
Today’s Challenge
- Make a list of at least 10 things you are grateful for.
- Buy only food, medicine, or other staples that sustain you. Do not shop.
- Do not dream about what would rather be doing. Find a way to enjoy what you are doing now.
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Mmmm… I love the idea of contentment or Santosha. My daughter’s middle name is Santosha! I figured, if you can give a child anything, wouldn’t you give her contentment?
To me part of contentment is openly accepting everything that comes my way. Everything. Somedays it’s more natural than others.
My health has been down recently - too much busy-ness, and I’ve been a bit frustrated with my immune system and energy level. I caught myself today in yoga class though, marvelling at my own body - not in a narcissistic way - in a realization that this infinite universe was able to pour itself into my little container for a while. That my seemingly -to-some imperfect form is such a perfect manifestation of something so huge. For me, it was a healing moment and a huge wave of contentment.
Some days I look in the mirror and it appears as though the universe poured itself into my body but forgot to say “when”
Sorry, I always wanted a perfect excuse to use that joke and you gave it to me. Thanks!
I really like this post and agree with the sentiments. An unforced and non-routine habit of noticing and listing things I’m thankful for has been a very effective way for me to cultivate contentment. Some more traditionally Mormon friends of mine have had bad experiences with a similar practice, cuz it felt too rote and became all about guilt and didn’t feel sincere after a few months. I don’t have any rules, like make a list everyday, but writing things down helps me notice and savor them. And I’ve been doing it often for about a year and still enjoy the practice.
Some things I’m feeling grateful for today: time with my sister and her partner tonight before they go back to CA tomorrow, healthy children, the bizarre science that makes evaporation cooling systems work so well in the dry Utah heat, uncooked Costco tortillas, avocados, high-speed internet, the amazing SLC library system, my dear husband, the youth pastor at St. Mark’s, cold water, and summer vacation.