WISDOM IS TRUE CONTENTEDNESS. The opposite is also true. Contentedness might not be euphoria or ecstasy but it is a kind of wholesome acceptance of ‘the now’. I’ll illustrate.
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Many people seek contentment in ‘things,’ in relationships with others, or in achieving what is realistically, unachievable. Edward De Bono says, “Unhappiness is best defined as the difference between our talents and our expectations,” which perfectly illustrates the latter point—set your standards too high and prepare to be bitterly disappointed. So, how do we become content? Let’s first look at some dead-ends; areas where not to look for it.
Many people seek contentment in ‘things,’ in relationships with others, or in achieving what is realistically, unachievable. Edward De Bono says, “Unhappiness is best defined as the difference between our talents and our expectations,” which perfectly illustrates the latter point—set your standards too high and prepare to be bitterly disappointed. So, how do we become content? Let’s first look at some dead-ends; areas where not to look for it.
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Fame is dead-end. How many famous people get sick with sadness and depression? Contentedness in fame is an illusion. Fame is transient, and at best it’s fake. To seek honour and prestige and to finally get it might mean you end up learning that you’ve missed the point of life entirely. There are many sports stars or rock musicians who experience and attain almost everything in worldly life, yet end up with basically nothing; very little of real worth. They often miss the blessings of time with family, and being in the spotlight all the time doesn’t allow for much freedom.
Fame is dead-end. How many famous people get sick with sadness and depression? Contentedness in fame is an illusion. Fame is transient, and at best it’s fake. To seek honour and prestige and to finally get it might mean you end up learning that you’ve missed the point of life entirely. There are many sports stars or rock musicians who experience and attain almost everything in worldly life, yet end up with basically nothing; very little of real worth. They often miss the blessings of time with family, and being in the spotlight all the time doesn’t allow for much freedom.
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Wealth is not the answer. This gets almost everyone! People go into lotteries or fall into “get rich quick” schemes to earn the right to ‘never work again,’ and for their trouble have the feeling of ‘never winning’ over and over again; they’ll dream about how they’ll spend the money, only to have that sinking feeling of ‘oh well, it’s off back to work on Monday after all’. You’d be better off getting a job or working on a career you can enjoy. That’s a far better investment.
Wealth is not the answer. This gets almost everyone! People go into lotteries or fall into “get rich quick” schemes to earn the right to ‘never work again,’ and for their trouble have the feeling of ‘never winning’ over and over again; they’ll dream about how they’ll spend the money, only to have that sinking feeling of ‘oh well, it’s off back to work on Monday after all’. You’d be better off getting a job or working on a career you can enjoy. That’s a far better investment.
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It seems to me that contentment is about giving up. It’s giving up the things mentioned above—not fixing our hopes on false versions of contentedness that simply don’t work. They never have and they never will.
It seems to me that contentment is about giving up. It’s giving up the things mentioned above—not fixing our hopes on false versions of contentedness that simply don’t work. They never have and they never will.
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We need to accept ourselves as we are; and not strive for more ‘things’ which just add to our already cluttered lives; and we shouldn’t expect another person, or group of people, to meet all our needs. It’s unrealistic, and illogical to think that way, yet many of us continue to do it. No wonder we get depressed!
We need to accept ourselves as we are; and not strive for more ‘things’ which just add to our already cluttered lives; and we shouldn’t expect another person, or group of people, to meet all our needs. It’s unrealistic, and illogical to think that way, yet many of us continue to do it. No wonder we get depressed!
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Peace within our being in this moment is the only possible right answer to the search for real, true, lasting contentedness. Once we are there, then we’ve made it!
Peace within our being in this moment is the only possible right answer to the search for real, true, lasting contentedness. Once we are there, then we’ve made it!
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This is shalom. Once you have it the next challenge is to maintain it. That’s the hard part, and can only be mastered via a thorough knowledge of ourselves and a steadfast discipline borne through diligence, to establish and maintain routines. It’s possible to get there and certainly worth the struggle. At least I can see the hope of a real result in this method.
This is shalom. Once you have it the next challenge is to maintain it. That’s the hard part, and can only be mastered via a thorough knowledge of ourselves and a steadfast discipline borne through diligence, to establish and maintain routines. It’s possible to get there and certainly worth the struggle. At least I can see the hope of a real result in this method.
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Shalom is slowing down. It’s doing ONE thing at a time; that’s focus. How often have we lost our inner peace and compromised our wellbeing by doing many things simultaneously? Busyness. I know I have, and perhaps like you, I seem to have a never-ending battle achieving shalom every day, one-day-at-a-time. Yet, it’s there for us at any time if we just give up trying to be too much for others, or ourselves, and become less greedy (or needy) to achieve; how often do these achievements, done in a flurry, work out to be meaningless in the overall scheme of things?
Shalom is slowing down. It’s doing ONE thing at a time; that’s focus. How often have we lost our inner peace and compromised our wellbeing by doing many things simultaneously? Busyness. I know I have, and perhaps like you, I seem to have a never-ending battle achieving shalom every day, one-day-at-a-time. Yet, it’s there for us at any time if we just give up trying to be too much for others, or ourselves, and become less greedy (or needy) to achieve; how often do these achievements, done in a flurry, work out to be meaningless in the overall scheme of things?
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Want contentedness? Do one thing at a time, be grateful, and simply relax. Try it. It takes practise, but practise infinitely worth it.
Want contentedness? Do one thing at a time, be grateful, and simply relax. Try it. It takes practise, but practise infinitely worth it.
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© Steve J. Wickham, 2008. All rights reserved Worldwide.
© Steve J. Wickham, 2008. All rights reserved Worldwide.
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