A Letter to Myself on the Occasion of Discontentment

Photo by Sasint

I was experiencing much discontentment this past week. How funny that last week’s post was about gratitude and then I immediately had a bout of discontentment. Isn’t that always how it goes? As we pursue spiritual growth, we are constantly given new challenges to master. A never-ending journey. 

In any case, I wrote this piece to myself. I hope it is helpful to you. 

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You will never have everything you want. 

There will always be things you wish you could change: where you live, what your home looks like, where you’d rather be, what you’d rather be doing, the moment.

Part of this is a sign of vitality. You still want things, you dream of things. Those ideas and prospects make you excited for what is to come. 

At the same time, those longings can bring you down and away from the present moment and all of the rich blessings in this moment. 

I want to tell you something that most people in this world do not know.

Come close and listen intently. 

You will not be more happy after you receive those things you want.

This world strongly believes in an “if-then” type of thinking. Only IF I receive that, THEN, I will be happy. This is a myth and it’s better for you to see this now than letting it guide the rest of your life.

The reason why your happiness level doesn’t change with your circumstances is because your happiness was never dependent upon circumstances to begin with. True happiness, contentment, peace and joy comes from within and being present to the sacredness of this. very. moment. 

This doesn’t mean you can’t long for things, wish for things, work for things, plan for things. 

But their status in your life are different once you realize it was never truly about those things to begin with. They no longer become the precondition to your happiness.

You are already complete, whole and perfect as you are. right. now. Revel in the perfection  and possibility of this moment. And that which you are working towards will also feel sweeter once it arrives. Your future happiness corresponds to today’s happiness.

Finally, aways be compassionate towards yourself when you feel discontentment. You don’t have to make it go away or be frustrated with yourself for being human. Notice it happening to you, notice how it occupies your mind and then notice it as it passes. Bid it farewell knowing it will return once again.