1. Happiness can fluctuate each moment, but contentment is stable.
2. We tend to seek to increase happiness by adding things (food, excitement, objects, others) but contentment is a skill that allows you to subtract things and still be content.
Next comes the how—how can you build contentment within yourself?
Build self-trust. The only way to fix a lack of trust is by taking small steps. Assess the items that you have control over and that you can enforce a positive change, today.
Notice your ideals. The other challenge for finding contentment is that we are constantly feeling bad about ourselves, because the reality of ourselves does not meet some ideal we hold. The truth is, the reality of ourselves is not bad, it’s only bad in relation to the ideal that we have about ourselves (unrealistic). When we let go of the ideal, we are left with the reality that can be judged as a unique human being who is beautiful in its own way.
Let go of the ideals. Once we notice the ideals, we need to stop comparing ourselves to them. Let it go. The main way to let go of the ideal is to see the pain that it’s causing in yourself.
Give yourself credit where credit is due!—You are worth more than you are accounting for.
