Most of us are probably familiar with the old phrase “be happy with what you’ve got” or some variation of it. At the same time, it can be really easy to question the concept, especially in today’s world. For many individuals, the idea of happiness is an elusive concept that can feel impossible to grasp, because there is always at least one element or some piece in their life that is not quite fitting the way they would like.

To help people on their path towards wellness, today’s blog will explore the concepts of contentment and acceptance as two important keys that can help unlock the gateway to new levels of happiness. For Christie Jones, happiness is an important part of achieving and maintaining a stable, healthy mental state, and helping patients throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX area to find their own happiness in their lives is central to her ongoing mission as a mental health professional.

Understanding Contentment and Acceptance

The concepts of contentment and acceptance stem from the idea of being able to feel satisfied with the current state of your life, being at peace with who you are as a person, and feeling comfortable with where you are in your life. Through acceptance and appreciation of yourself, as you are in the present moment, it becomes possible to achieve a level of inner peace and tranquility that can benefit you greatly going into the future. 

Life Without Contentment and Acceptance

For many individuals, life is viewed as an ongoing competition where everything must be constantly measured and improved. Whether it is cars, homes, jobs, or personal wealth, something in life is always in need of upgrading, and this feeling of competition and comparison can prevent a person from recognizing their own good fortune from one moment to the next. Instead of recognizing things that have been achieved or milestones that have been reached, the urge to continue driving forward towards elusive goals can become an overwhelming burden.

For individuals who have shaped their lives around the pursuit of various goals and accomplishments, the ability to step back and objectively appreciate their accomplishments is not always possible. Even if a person can fully realize their visions of an ideal lifestyle and check off every item in their personal bucket list, it may not be enough to truly feel satisfied with the way they have lived if there is no sense of contentment or acceptance. 

The Importance of Enjoying What You Have

Being able to feel contentment is extremely important to a person, especially if they are on a path towards improved mental health. While feelings of contentment may not offer immediately tangible benefits, the positive qualities can be experienced through an overall change in daily lifestyle and recognized in healthier interactions with family and loved ones.

Some of the benefits of embracing contentment include: 

• Enhanced Peace of Mind – Through acceptance and understanding of the present state of their life, a person can experience improved peace of mind and renewed positivity that can allow them to enjoy each day more completely while still working towards improving their future effectively.
• Improved Feelings of Happiness – Because contentment is closely tied to personal feelings of happiness, acceptance of your current situation can improve overall levels of happiness. By spending time feeling grateful for what has already been accomplished rather than focusing on things that you still feel are unfinished, your overall quality of life can improve.
• Healthier Relationships – Through acceptance and contentment of your current situation in life, it becomes possible to more clearly recognize and accept the people around you as they are, rather than as you would like them to be. By accepting others regardless of their flaws or shortcomings, it becomes possible to build stronger, healthier relationships with them going forward.

 The Power of Positivity

Contentment and acceptance do not immediately imply the absence of desires or goals for the future. It is entirely sensible to work towards improving the state of your life even if you feel content with the way things are currently. Instead, feelings of contentment can help an individual view the state of their lives with positivity, rather than negativity.

By adopting a positive outlook, and through acceptance of the current state of life, a person can enjoy a variety of benefits including improved mental health, stronger relationships with friends and family, and a greater quality of life on a daily basis. 

To find out more about the idea of contentment and acceptance, or to learn how Christie Jones can help residents throughout the DFW Metroplex with a variety of mental health concerns, be sure to contact her office right away!