Discontentment in an Ever Changing World

By Janet Tanner

Discontentment , What is It?

Do you struggle with discontentment? Being discontent isn’t something we like to admit. Just saying the words implies that something is wrong.  Discontentment can be a pattern or thought we easily slip into and the struggle to overcome discontentment is real.  So what can we do to overcome it and how can we avoid not being satisfied?  

We call being discontent by different names to cover our embarrassment and even to hide it from ourselves.  We don’t want anyone to think there is anything in our life we would like to change. So what does it mean to be dissatisfied or discontent?

Merriam-Webster said, “Discontent is lack of satisfaction with ones possessions, status, or situation: lack of contentment.”

No, Not Me

You might read that and think, “wow that is just not me”, but the truth is we have all been there at some point. Just go to the cell phone store and look at all the new choices there.  It won’t take long after talking to the sales representative there and you will begin to believe that your cell phone is a old as Moses and needs to be changed. Now you walked into the phone store with a perfectly good phone and you walked out with an unsettled feeling of need for a new and better one, because you started comparing yours to theirs. 

Comparison is often the beginning of discontent. It starts with a little spark of comparison and ends in a flame of discontent. The cell phone is just a little example of how being dissatisfied starts. Being discontent with a phone because it is old and NEEDS replacing is one thing, but just feeling the compulsion for a NEW one is another. 

The game of comparing our possessions, status or situation is never a good thing. I have found that anytime I start to look at someone else’s things and compare them to  mine, the feeling of coming up short always surfaces. There will always be someone that has more, living better and looking prettier around and you know what the funny thing is about these people as well? They are often discontent as well.  It’s true, we can never win when it comes to comparing ourselves to others. 

How To Prevent Discontentment

So how can we prevent falling into the trap of discontentment, is it inevitable?   You know I think that sometimes we just can’t help it. We live in a world where the newest and shiniest thing is just around the corner. Magazines are sitting in the grocery store, right where I want to check out. They are tempting my with the best skin care in the world. The pictures on one of the most read search engines is full of pictures that remind me my bathroom is not the best one around.  We are bombarded by ads and books that tell us our lives need help, our homes need redecorating and our hair needs coloring. It is a constant battle. 

So put on your blinders. When I am avoiding sugar I try not to go to the bakery. When I am feeling discontent consider the source. Take a considerate and careful look at the situation. Ask your self, where did these thought come from?  Is there ANY  validity to them? It is one thing to be restless, it is another to be dissatisfied. So what can we do?

• Change how you look at it. If you can talk yourself into to being dissatisfied you can talk yourself out of it as well. Give yourself a little self love. Think about where the thoughts came from in the first place. There is nothing wrong with looking through a new magazine, but if you started getting dissatisfied with your home while you were reading the article, and your house was fine yesterday, that is not a real or legitimate need. 
•  Be grateful for what you have.  This is the perfect time of year to think about what you are grateful for. Thanksgiving is upon us in a few short weeks.  When the feelings of discontent start to creep up on you make an honest effort to remember what you have and love about your life right now. 
•  Go for a walk. Exercise will always make you feel better. There is a garden here in our town. The paths are beautiful in all seasons. Going and walking around the lake there reminds me of the beauty of the earth and helps ground me. It can make the mind become clear and more focused. 
• Do something in your house that is not complicated or time consuming, like folding you underwear drawer. Ha, ha or clean your silver ware drawer out.  Both jobs don”t take long but offer immediate rewards.  

Just Do It

Do something, restlessness  and discontentment are often just feelings we have.  They can be overcome and do not have to cause us to buy or do things we regret later.  Spending time with people we love and doing something for others can change our attitude as well.  Just lamenting and pouting will not change a thing.  If discontentment can lead us to do something meaningful and fun then it may not be such a bad feeling to have sometimes. Maybe we just need to embrace it as a normal part of life and learn to move on. Don’t let it make you feel guilty, let discontentment be a signal or motivation to be productive in some other way.  Honestly, Janet

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