The word discontent may seem like a bad word, but in reality discontentment is not always a bad thing.  Discontentment can motivate us.

Have you ever suffered from discontentment?

Has there been a time that discontentment spurred you on instead of weighing you down?

Discontentment is Not Always Bad

Have you ever felt discontent with where you are in life right now, maybe your career or where you live. Having a bit of restlessness or discontentment can motivate us in a multitude of ways. The important part of recognizing our discontent is to find why we feel this way and is it a worthy reason.

Search for the reason you are discontent

There can be a lot of reasons for discontentment and like I mentioned that are not always bad. For instance we could be unhappy with our appearance. On the surface this might seemed to just be about vanity or competition, but not always. Out outer appearance and how we feel about our selves can cause a lot of stress on our bodies. Being over weight and not eating healthy also has long term affects on us. Sometimes we need a little discontentment to motivate us.

Without the unhappiness or restlessness we may never get motivated to do something about it. Losing extra weight and striving for a healthier lifestyle is always going to improve things for us. If a little bit of unhappiness with my appearance helps to motivate me into a healthier life style then that is a good thing. Looking at the real reason for discontentment can help us to achieve better goals in our life.

Sometimes we become discontent with our jobs or where we are in our career.  Becoming disenchanted with your job and seeing that there is more out there can motivate us to go back to school or challenge us to look for something else.  The unhappiness with where you are financially can makes us initiate seeking better employment with new challenges. Consider the fact that a change may really be necessary and for the better. So you see there are lots of good reasons for discontentment.

Be Self Aware

Having goals and dreams in life is a good thing. If you wake up one day and think, ” This is not where I am supposed to be right now.  I was expecting a little more from myself. ” Thoughts like that are necessarily just signs of being unhappy.  They can also be reminders that there is more out there for us. It maybe a wake up call.

It might be the push or shove needed to create a drive towards a new goal. Look at this as a positive and realize it’s time to reevaluate the present situation. Be self aware and remember, you are the very best person to recognize a need for change or a need for new pursuits.

Goals

Only you know what is out there that is worth pursuing personally. Life is short, don’t let dreams and goals pass you by. Restlessness and discontentment can be signs of settling for less.  I am not talking about just being happy but the restless need to do something. It is what spurs creativity as well as invention. I believe it is the stuff that motivates us to find better ways to do things and drives us to do more than we ever imagined we could.

In the future when you feel discontent or restless, ask yourself why you feel this way. Is there a legitimate reason. Become self aware and take the time to evaluate your situation. Consider the possibility of changing your present situation, not for selfish reasons, but for the pursuit of  your dreams. Maybe even for your health.  Look at it as a chance to reignite an old flame that needed a little fuel to get it going.

Discontentment can be a good thing. It can motivate us to move forward after being stagnant for awhile and can remind us that we do not ever have to stay unchallenged, unhealthy or uninspired.  It is important to be satisfied with most things in life but growing and meeting new challenges is important too.  Sometimes is takes a little discontent to motivate us towards new horizons.