WHAT A CONTENTED PERSON FEELS CONTENTED WITH
THE COMPONENTS OF CONTENTMENT
A STATE OF MIND
If contentment equals satisfaction and a sense of ease of mind, then it would make sense that we need to nail down what would have us be in such states of mind.
(Notice that whenever we talk of "states of mind", we are talking about stuff that exists only in our minds and were constructed only in our minds - that means that we made them up and gave them meaning. The Buddha calls these "mental constructs". Others call this "thing we made up in our minds", essentially figments of our imagination. Notice that image-ination simply means "images" we see but have conjured up (created) since we didn't actually see them in the real world but have only visualized them into being.
I AM A CONTENTED PERSON AND THIS IS HOW AND WHY
I am a contented person, I would say, though I am not always in that "condition" of being. (Yes, Virginia, there is no Santa Clause and there is no perpetual state of nirvana.) So, from my studies and from what is true of me, these are what create an overall sense and conclusion/belief of contentment:
I appreciate all of this, actively, and at times even feel a surge of electricity throughout my body as I experience true inspiration and awe at what occurs in this world - even being incredibly inspired and thrilled with all the developments and how far we've come, in watching the October, 2014, presentation of Apple products!
I have decided what is "enough" and appreciate everything beyond that as true bonuses in my life - and there are innumerable bonuses.
I live my life well enough - and am producing lots of bonuses for myself by doing so. I do not pejoratively judge myself at all nor criticize myself (or others) and I quickly dismiss the random, inaccurate "judgments" from my primitive brain, as I know that they are simply mechanical and meaning nothing. (Why Life Is Very Good (Actually Great!)
I live my values to a high degree (good enough, plus) and am true to myself.
My life is good. If I have undesired results or physical pain, I know that these are temporary conditions and that they'll pass or that they don't matter. I am fearless of faux fears and thoughts.
I am effective enough. I am capable enough. I direct my life, without needing others' approval or directives. I produce more than enough desired results that I live blissfully in Bonusland - and I am most grateful for that. I am clear that I am beyond my base of what is enough.
I am charitable, compassionate and understanding with myself - and I am a great cheerleader and supporter of myself. (And I know that there is no "inner child", "critical inner parent", nor any mystical, made up entities that "cause" me to feel bad! I am in control, at least to the point of being a good "driver" of my elephant primitive mind.)
I take time for myself, I take care of myself. I honor myself. I am very kind to myself. And I feel good about that (even with occasional human flubs).
I constantly remind myself of all I've been given and all I have - and that it is far beyond enough!
(As I look at these, they sound a bit like affirmations. But they are solid beliefs, fully installed, perhaps useful to review sometimes when I am doing my grounding via my Reminders Notebook.)
WHEN ARE WE BEING UNREALISTIC?
There might be a fine line here between slothful resignation (settling for too little) and what to be content with. But where the fine line is will be clear if one has clearly and accurately written out what is enough as a base for themselves in life (and perhaps had it checked out for "reality" by an objective knowledgeable person).
MY "TRIPPING OUT" IN A GREAT SENSE OF CONTENTMENT
I actually feel a thrill of inspiration and satisfaction as I am writing this piece, as it feels to me that this is clarifying what works in life and that it will, or could, contribute to others attaining enduring contentment and happiness. I even have bursts of verbal enthusiasm in this (and a number of other pieces I write) and even a power fist pumping of "yes!" as I feel I am contributing something or have really nailed something down and/or explained it well so that there will be an effect on those who read it.
I actually feel an excitement in my stomach and a kind of exhilaration in my forehead, neck and the sides of my head... I want to jump up and down... and so what if that is silly for a big, older guy...as I do not live in a "should" world of my own and am immune to what others "should" me about...I do not need to be liked or approved of [indeed, if I did, that would be a source of discontentment! - I even think that is a brilliant statement - OK, maybe I am going overboard here, but I am having a good time of it and "overboard" is just a meaningless "mental construct" that has no effect on my ability to survive in the world...]. I smile contentedly as I am writing this (though of course that is not always true of all of my writing).
Brilliant! This is brilliant! (Yes, I know it probably isn't, but so what! I am having fun thinking that. It beats the hell out of thinking that it isn't that great or not as good as others, or I am not far enough along!)
WHAT DOES THE "NOT CONTENT" PERSON DO AND THINK?
Sometimes it is useful to see what is in the way, so that one can more clearly decide what to remove or change.
Not getting enough value out of life, because the person allows others to dictate what he does and because the person is not clear enough on what is of value to him/her and because the person does not stand strongly enough and insist enough on doing only that which is of value.
They criticize themselves and/or fault themselves (this must be 100% removed, as it prevents contentment and breeds a domino effect of greater and greater discontent.
They have not defined clearly what is "enough", so they cannot see when they have "more than enough".
They do not appreciate and are not grateful and/or don't even see all that is good and beneficial and even the good that has occurred in their own lives.
They have not nailed down things with enough certainty, so they live in doubt and lack of clarity, subject to the vagaries of ambiguity and vagueness.
