Do you ever feel like life is moving too fast? Perhaps, like me, you can get so caught up in craziness of life that you forget you are alive. It’s not hard to do. We live in a goal-driven society where each day exists as a to-do list. Productivity has become enshrined as the ultimate destination. For most of us, busyness is like water to a fish, we’ve never known any other way. The unspoken mantra seems to be if you’re not busy then you’re not living.

Living within this state-of-mind forces one to focus on what’s next. When we’re in high school we can’t wait to graduate so we can get a job or go to college. When in college the desire is to turn in papers, get a good grade, and then get the paper—a diploma. Once in the workforce the desire is to make enough cheddar so we can retire peacefully. What happens is that the things we do in life become a means to an end that we never reach. We’re so focused on the next means that we miss the realization that each step is an end in itself.

To avoid this one needs to practice the art of contentment. I say ‘practice the art’ very intentionally because contentment doesn’t come naturally for most; it takes practice. However, practicing the art of contentment starts at a fairly easy to identify place: attitude. Simply put, contentment is a state of mind that one chooses to live in.

If your goal is contentment, here are some practices you can put into place to help make it a reality:

Be Still

When was the last time you just stopped everything? Sitting in front of a television does not count. So now, stop. Go outside and lay in the grass. Look up at the sky. Notice nature. Breathe deeply and slowly. Close your eyes. Don’t speak. Don’t even pray. Just be. What are you doing? I’m serious, go do this right now.

Another opportunity for stillness is to get the noise out of your life for a while. You could give up social media or media altogether for a period of time. Here’s another option: turn off your cellphone for a week. Not on silent or airplane mode, but completely off. But you ask, “How will people reach me!?” Actually, that’s the point. Sometimes it’s hard to admit that planet earth will continue to revolve regardless of the state of our cellular device. To find contentment you need to reflect. To reflect you need to be still.

Give to Others

Your life is better than you think it is. Here’s what can happen:

You’re blessed. You’re thankful for a while but the blessings eventually become commonplace. You begin to compare the size of your blessing to those with a blessing that appears bigger and better. You want an additional blessing. You get it. Then, after a while, that blessing becomes commonplace and so the cycle continues. It’s difficult to always be content with what you have, but generosity can help.

Generosity breeds thankfulness. When you give to others you’re reminded of your favorable circumstances and you just plain feel good about it. Researchers suggest that one reason giving may improve physical health and longevity is that it helps decrease stress, which is associated with a variety of health problems. In a 2006 study by Rachel Piferi of Johns Hopkins University and Kathleen Lawler of the University of Tennessee, people who provided social support to others had lower blood pressure than participants who didn’t, suggesting a direct physiological benefit to those who give of themselves.

“Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more.”
– Seneca the Younger

Simplify Your Life

The more we require or desire, the more difficult it becomes to achieve contentment. Conversely, if you need less then your needs will be more easily met. So, simplify your life by getting rid of crap. Declutter. Some of us have so much stuff we have to pay for storage units! When my mom throws out a random household item that has been taking up space she exclaims, “Get it out of my life!” Less is more.

Getting serious about simplification extends beyond physical possessions; it also includes your habits. Evaluate your activities. Write down what you do and group it according to importance. How many of your activities bring you closer to your goals and fit your values? Perhaps you can give up one of your favorite TV shows. But not How I Met Your Mother, that’s arguably the most legendary love story of all time.

All Things in Moderation

The truth is, you can have too much of a good thing. Gorging on delight eventually leads to pain and discontent. If you lose control of your cravings you will become victim to excess. Learn to recognize when your craving is pulling you forward rather than your ‘well balanced’ self. Pause to reflect or simply extend a pause in consumption of whatever you crave. Decide if you have had enough rather than allowing yourself to be taken forward to excesses by your craving.

The Secret to Contentment

When writing to those in Philippi from a prison cell, Paul stated, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:11-13). How nice of Paul to let us in on the secret: ask God for strength, for it is only through Him that we will find true contentment.