How to Find Joy and Contentment by Living Well Today
Most people spend a significant part of their day worrying about what happened yesterday, what may happen tomorrow, or living with the expectation that some future date or occurrence will magically cause contentment to finally be theirs.
"When I buy a house," "When I get married," "When I get divorced," "When I lose weight," "When I have more money," "When vacation gets here," "When I have kids," or "When the kids are finally grown and gone.
" Joy is in the Pursuit There always seems to be something about the circumstances of our lives at the moment that makes us yearn for a better time that was, or creates an expectation of a better time in the future.
What ever happened to contentment? Mind you, aspirations and goals are wonderful things, but not when they cause us to lose our joy in today.
It is the pursuit of aspirations and goals that create excitement.
It is the way we live our lives that determine its texture and significance, not the details of our circumstance.
Only when we consider the best part of our lives to be our present moment, will we reap the benefits and joy of contentment - living in real time.
Bask in the reality of now.
If there is a beautiful sunset developing on the western horizon, create a place that allows you to enjoy it with great luxury.
Do you think you would have a better view of God's artistic handiwork if you were on a tropical beach somewhere, reclining with an umbrella drink in your hand? If so, you are setting the scene of your own discontent; you've left real time behind.
Improve Your Life Today Create luxury where you are, even if it is an old sofa pillow and the drink in your hand is a diet coke.
Pick the pillow or blanket you want, grab the drink of your choice, and watch the sunset with the same wonder and awe you would have on that imaginary beach.
You have the power to richly enjoy the sunset personally delivered to you right where you are.
Why yearn for an unknown love to sit beside you on that beach when the dog that loves you more than life itself sits at your feet just waiting for an invitation to share the pillow or blanket with you? The Grass Really Isn't Greener Most discontent comes from a false belief that everyone else is better off than we are, and all we need to do is get what they have, look like they look, or act like they act in order to be who they appear to be.
In truth, "they" are seldom what they appear to be.
That notion is the basis of advertising pitches and class envy.
It has been oft said that living well is the best revenge.
Living well is a value statement, not a description of body type or bank account.
Do you think you could somehow feel love more deeply with a facelift? Is a pedigree in any way significant to how wonderful your relationship is with your dog? Live with abandon in the moments of today, resolving to build a little bigger "today", tomorrow.
When we reach the end of this life, our greatest regrets will have nothing to do with what we didn't have; they will be in how we wasted the opportunities we had to live joyously, share openly and love greatly.
Are you living in real time?
"When I buy a house," "When I get married," "When I get divorced," "When I lose weight," "When I have more money," "When vacation gets here," "When I have kids," or "When the kids are finally grown and gone.
" Joy is in the Pursuit There always seems to be something about the circumstances of our lives at the moment that makes us yearn for a better time that was, or creates an expectation of a better time in the future.
What ever happened to contentment? Mind you, aspirations and goals are wonderful things, but not when they cause us to lose our joy in today.
It is the pursuit of aspirations and goals that create excitement.
It is the way we live our lives that determine its texture and significance, not the details of our circumstance.
Only when we consider the best part of our lives to be our present moment, will we reap the benefits and joy of contentment - living in real time.
Bask in the reality of now.
If there is a beautiful sunset developing on the western horizon, create a place that allows you to enjoy it with great luxury.
Do you think you would have a better view of God's artistic handiwork if you were on a tropical beach somewhere, reclining with an umbrella drink in your hand? If so, you are setting the scene of your own discontent; you've left real time behind.
Improve Your Life Today Create luxury where you are, even if it is an old sofa pillow and the drink in your hand is a diet coke.
Pick the pillow or blanket you want, grab the drink of your choice, and watch the sunset with the same wonder and awe you would have on that imaginary beach.
You have the power to richly enjoy the sunset personally delivered to you right where you are.
Why yearn for an unknown love to sit beside you on that beach when the dog that loves you more than life itself sits at your feet just waiting for an invitation to share the pillow or blanket with you? The Grass Really Isn't Greener Most discontent comes from a false belief that everyone else is better off than we are, and all we need to do is get what they have, look like they look, or act like they act in order to be who they appear to be.
In truth, "they" are seldom what they appear to be.
That notion is the basis of advertising pitches and class envy.
It has been oft said that living well is the best revenge.
Living well is a value statement, not a description of body type or bank account.
Do you think you could somehow feel love more deeply with a facelift? Is a pedigree in any way significant to how wonderful your relationship is with your dog? Live with abandon in the moments of today, resolving to build a little bigger "today", tomorrow.
When we reach the end of this life, our greatest regrets will have nothing to do with what we didn't have; they will be in how we wasted the opportunities we had to live joyously, share openly and love greatly.
Are you living in real time?
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