JOURNALING EXERCISE
Please do not cheat and read ahead. Answer these two questions in your journal. Then, read this blog post entry. The two questions to answer are:
* 1 How would you define happiness?
* 2 How would you define content or contentment?
IT'S MORE THAN HAPPY. IT'S CONTENT
A memorable life is more than a happy one. Happiness, after all, is fleeting. Happiness depends on circumstances, people, and emotions to feed it.
It drifts with the wind and the seasons of change. It is short-lived.
Few people are happy every day for all of their lives. Fewer have learned the secret of how to live a memorable life every day.
A memorable life seeks something deeper and far more lasting than happiness. A memorable life is one that is content at all times, in spite of people, places, things, or circumstances.
A memorable life is more than a happy one. Happiness, after all, is fleeting. Happiness depends on circumstances, people, and emotions to feed it.
It drifts with the wind and the seasons of change. It is short-lived.
Few people are happy every day for all of their lives. Fewer have learned the secret of how to live a memorable life every day.
A memorable life seeks something deeper and far more lasting than happiness. A memorable life is one that is content at all times, in spite of people, places, things, or circumstances.
For the record, I think a lot of people define happiness really as contentment but, there is a great difference between them. When you read what's next, I think you will see the great difference between happiness and contentment. I don't know about you, but I would rather be content any day of the week than happy. Read the next section and see why.
WHAT IS CONTENTMENT?
Let me grab a couple of dictionaries and see how they define CONTENT or CONTENTMENT:
When a person is content, they accept where they are, how they are, who they are, who they have, and what they have. In other words, they live the motto, "It is what it is." They do not pine for more than they have and are. They do not allow people, places, things, or situations to influence their state of contentment. Their contentment stands--no matter what. It's solid. It is not swayed.
But, is that to say they do not seek excellence? No. Not all all. Rather, contented people seek to make the most of the people, places, things, and circumstances they have today and do so every day. They live a memorable life where they are.
WHAT IS CONTENTMENT?
Let me grab a couple of dictionaries and see how they define CONTENT or CONTENTMENT:
When a person is content, they accept where they are, how they are, who they are, who they have, and what they have. In other words, they live the motto, "It is what it is." They do not pine for more than they have and are. They do not allow people, places, things, or situations to influence their state of contentment. Their contentment stands--no matter what. It's solid. It is not swayed.
But, is that to say they do not seek excellence? No. Not all all. Rather, contented people seek to make the most of the people, places, things, and circumstances they have today and do so every day. They live a memorable life where they are.
Yes. It's okay to dream if you are content. You know what you can control. If something has been on your heart a dream, then you better go after it. but, don't ever take today for granted. Be satisfied with today as you seek to get to tomorrow. This is true contentment. This is living a memorable life.
Contentment is accepting the here and now and living it the best you can, with all you have, and all you are today. This is how you live a memorable life.
CONTENTMENT ACKNOWLEDGES WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL AND WHAT YOU CANNOT
Contentment knows you cannot control people or circumstances. They are what they are.
Contentment knows what it can control: Your reaction to people, places, events (or situations, circumstances, and experiences), and things.
Just acknowledging those two truths brings contentment. You no longer have to live a constant battle. You have freedom because you know two truths that are life-sustaining. They sure get rid of the stress in our lives. Too many times, we are trying to fight for something or change something, and nothing happens. This is why. we forget what we can and cannot control.
Living a memorable life means knowing when to let go, when to take control, and when to appreciate your life as it is.
JOURNALING EXERCISE
* Write your thoughts on happiness, now that you know the truth about happiness.
* Write your thoughts about contentment.
* How content are you?
* How can you focus on what you can control and forget what you cannot?
* Is there anything you are trying to control, but you really can't?
* Now, how do you want to live a memorable life, after reading this blog post?
* Write your definition of living a memorable life at this point, after reading Days 1-3.
* What are your thoughts about living a memorable life?
~ Stacy Duplease
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