It takes a considerable amount of energy to be discontent with life. You can spend a lot of time wishing you were anyone but you, in any location other than where you are, doing anything but what you are presently doing. Does that sound productive? When you look elsewhere for satisfaction, you often miss the great things that surround you every day. You put your life on hold, and in a way you stop living and start watching other people live. Life is priceless, but you throw it away when you succumb to feelings of discontent.
When you start getting that itchy feeling of dissatisfaction, what can you do? Start by looking around you and making a quick list of the things for which you are grateful. Then take a mental inventory of where you can make immediate improvements. Is there more you can do to get the most out of your present situation? Take advantage of who you are today, and stop being envious of who you are not.
DAY
248
“The splendid discontent of God with Chaos, made the world; And from the discontent of man the world’s best progress springs.”
— Ella Wheeler Wilcox
You read yesterday about how discontent can slow you down and keep you from achieving success. Today you are going to study a different interpretation. The quote above by Ella Wheeler Wilcox suggests that discontent breeds progress.
Sometimes that itchy, unhappy feeling of restlessness makes you just uncomfortable enough to get into action. When you are content, you may not have a reason to change for the better. You’re happy right where you are. But if you are nursing feelings of discontent, you want out. You want to be somewhere else—you are just disgruntled enough to work for something better. Some of the greatest achievements in history were direct results of someone’s discontent.
Compare the quote today to Norman Rockwell’s quote from Day 247. Write in your journal about the word discontent. What role does it play in your life? Does it help you to move forward and get things done, or does discontent give you a feeling of being stuck? You have to come up with your own unique answer to this question. Only you know the truth.
It’s important to know how you personally deal with your feelings. Discontent may be a terrific motivator for you, or on the other hand it could be a huge roadblock. When you are in tune with how you react to feelings of dissatisfaction, you can start to use those emotions as a tool for success rather than a hindrance.
DAY
249
“We love in others what we lack ourselves, and would be everything but what we are.”
— Richard Henry Stoddard
How big a role does envy play in your life? Do you look at others and see traits that you wish you had?
Today you are going to tackle a personal issue. Are you content or are you discontent—with yourself? Sometimes the source of your dissatisfaction is you. Now that would be a bummer, wouldn’t it? You are the one thing you can’t escape! On the other hand, you are a unique and beautiful gift to the world. Stop trying to be what you are not, and start enjoying what you are.
Sometimes you see gifts that others possess, and it’s easy to forget that you have a treasure chest of your own. Mark was often envious of his younger sister’s singing ability. He could barely carry a tune. When he got stuck in that jealous place, he forgot that he was a genius with numbers. Maybe his younger sister was a songbird, but he had a different and equally beautiful gift.
It’s hard to be content with yourself sometimes. You might feel like you’re not quite good enough to stand up to the rest of the world. You long to experience the riches of someone else’s life. Practice celebrating your gifts rather than being envious of the talents of others. You’re stuck with you, whether you like it or not. You might as well look around and check out your own aptitudes. Pretty soon you may be surprised to discover you aren’t lacking at all. In fact, you are rich with talent.
DAY
250
“I used to think I had ambition . . . but now I’m not so sure. It may have been only discontent. They’re easily confused.”
— Rachel Field
Congratulations! You have arrived at day 250! How do you feel? You are more than two-thirds of the way through the year, and your life is changing—maybe drastically. This is the point where you are probably feeling one of two things: either you are gaining confidence, or you are completely confused. Don’t worry. Either way you are right on track.
Spend at least thirty minutes writing in your journal today. Try to capture the emotions that have come up over the last 250 days. What has the journey been like so far? Has it been a vacation, or has it been hard work? Maybe it has been a little of both. Specifically how have you changed?
You have been asked to complete a lot of exercises in the last couple of months. You are continuing to increase your awareness, but now you are adding concrete actions to back up your newfound knowledge. Has that been difficult? Sometimes transformation is painful. Have you been willing to change?
Secondly, take some time today to meditate about the extent to which you are completing the exercises in this book. Have you really been getting into the work, or have you turned in a half-hearted effort? Are you waiting to see if you notice any minor changes before you really go for it?
Finally, do something really nice for yourself today. You’ve come a long way since and you have an interesting road ahead. Stop and appreciate this moment.
DAY
251
“A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle.”
— Benjamin Franklin
It is important to have confidence in yourself, but there is a line you shouldn’t cross: the line into self-absorbed thinking. If you are all wrapped up in yourself you do make a pretty small package.
Today you are going to look at an alternative to being wrapped up in yourself. What if you took a genuine interest in other people? It is important to be in tune with your own thoughts and feelings, but you are not all there is in this world. Look around and see who else is out there. Make friends, help others, and learn from those around you. If you do so, you are latching on to a wealth of knowledge, camaraderie, and love that will nourish you in ways you cannot even begin to imagine.
Your assignment today is to make a new friend. You may decide to talk to someone at work that you’ve never interacted with before. You could also strike up a conversation with someone in a waiting room. Age doesn’t matter. You might find one of your children’s friends fascinating if you spend a few minutes talking with them.
The object of this exercise is not to turn you into a creepy stalker or a nosy neighbor. Just take an interest in someone else when the opportunity arises. People really do enjoy talking about themselves when given a chance. You probably won’t have trouble starting a conversation. Make it your goal to find out something new and interesting about another human being. Pay attention to others for a day and see how it enriches your life.