How To Be Content Without Growing Complacent
Contentment doesn’t mean complacent.
I used to think that people who were content with their position in life were complacent.
Contentment in my mind was laziness. These people lacked ambition and weren’t ever going to get anywhere. I was convinced that contentment was not something that we were made for in life. And those who were content had given up on their dreams.
Yet, over the last few years, I have learned that I had it all wrong.
For years, I had been pushing hard at every single job I have worked. I wanted to succeed, climb the ladder, and be the best at my career. Which somehow translated to being the best at life.
It was vanity, fear, and pride that drove me so hard. In every single job, I have pushed hard and attained success, promotion, and raises. Along the way, I began to experience higher levels of stress, anxiety, and panic.
Then, I came to my current position.
I have worked in this position for three and a half years now. It’s the longest I have ever held a position. However, I have come to be very content working in this position.
Sure, I want to get promoted again, but its not the end of the world if I get passed over for a job or rejected for a promotion.
Understanding Contentment & Complacency
Thinking back, I realized that I didn’t understand contentment. I was so focused on my pride, ego, and fears that it completely blinded me from the goodness that comes from contentment. In fact, I have come to see that contentment is the foundation of happiness.
All those years before, I was happy with growing professionally, but I was exhausted personally. However, the fullest years of my life have been the last three years. At this time, I have done amazing things, but most of all, my family life has been abundant.
It all started with a change in thinking.
Contentment is the Foundation to Happiness
For the longest time, I was never satisfied with life — I always wanted more. And if I am honest, I still do. However, I have come to love where I am at. I love the work I do, the place I live, and most of all how it benefits my family.
It has been in the satisfaction of all that has come from this hard work that I can enjoy the present. I’m reminded of this quote I read by S.Eisenbaltt:
“Contentment is an emotional state of satisfaction that can be seen as a mental state, maybe drawn from being at ease in one’s situation, body, and mind.”
Because the present is all we have. We cannot change the past. And the future is determined by now. So, why wouldn’t I want to enjoy the present with my family and the things I love to do?
As I have become more content with my current situation, many doors have opened. But I do not feel the need to rush through them as before. Now, I can see how the doors can add to my life and to my family. If it does not, I simply let the door close.
Contentment is satisfaction with where I am and being able to say “no” to what is less important. This position has become the foundation for so much happiness in my life.
Complacency Steals Happiness
While these can be very similar because they deal with satisfaction, complacency is a ticking-time-bomb for trouble. It is the fool’s happiness because it is uninformed and satisfied for no particular reason. Merriam-Webster Dictionary says this about complacency:
“Self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual danger or deficiencies. An instance of usually unaware or uninformed self-satisfaction.”
When I thought of contentment before, this was how I thought it worked.
However, complacency is a lie about satisfaction. It says, “everything is just fine, you don’t have to do anything, just stay right here.” Even though there is much to be done or things to help solidify your position in life.
People become complacent for a lot of reasons. Sometimes it's an overwhelming number of options and making a decision feels impossible. Other times folks simply enjoy the status quo, even though times are changing.
In the end, complacency steals happiness.
Finding Contentment
Are you going to choose true contentment in life?
Or simply be complacent and believe the lie that everything is okay? Most of us want to be happy, and we can find it in being content.
The best way we can start doing that is to stop chasing for a minute and think about what it is we want in life. To be content, we need to know what makes us content. What is it that really makes you happy? What do you want life to be like where you can be satisfied and happy?
Once we know what that one thing is, we can begin to find contentment right away.
I’m convinced that we can feel content right now, even if we don’t have all the things we want in life. Want to know why? Because there are parts of life where we already can experience satisfaction and happiness.
Ask these three questions of yourself today to find contentment in your life:
- What would really bring satisfaction and happiness to your life?
- Do I have parts of these things in my life already? What are they?
- How can I enjoy these parts of life right now?
Once you answer these questions, set aside some time in your day to enjoy these parts of your life. The satisfaction and happiness you find in these will help give you a taste of contentment which you will find the more you enjoy these parts of life.
Now, this isn’t believing lies that things are okay, but it is helping you to experience places where you can be content.
This is how we become more content and not complacent.
Mind Cafe’s Reset Your Mind: A Free 10-Day Email Course
We’re offering a free gift to all of our new subscribers as a thank you for your continued support. When you sign up using this link, we’ll send you tips on how to boost mental clarity and focus every two days.