If there is one thing that humans should be good at, it’s being selfish. Being able to put ourselves first when we don’t have anyone else relying on us is easy, but when you have friends and family and children, it’s easy to put yourself last. Trying to put yourself first? That’s difficult. It breeds feelings of guilt and resentment when you have to try to put yourself first. When you’re so used to others being put ahead of you, you end up feeling bad for doing something for yourself. It’s not the way it should be. You are a person, you are important, and you should be doing things that make you happy, not just things that make others feel happy.
[social_warfare]Contentment comes when you can sit in the still and the quiet and smile. When you want to be happier, you have to be good to yourself. There is more to life than chasing the highest of heights and there is far more to life than striving for an unmanageable perfection. You can’t achieve out of reach goals if you can’t be kind to yourself first. People who are happiest carve out the time to be kind to themselves. The more you love yourself, the more you can allow others to love you. Below, we’ve put together four of the simplest ways that you can feel as content as can be.
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Comfort. Comfort means something different to everyone, but when you feel comfortable in your clothes you can feel relaxed and wonderful on the inside. Whether you want to wrap yourself in oversized baseball jerseys and socks, or you want to don the latest wool felted slippers to be kinder to your feet, comfort is key for contentment. Make sure that you buy clothes that are soft and breathable and buy shoes that can take the edge off of those career-heightening heels for the ultimate comfort.
Health. Contentment often comes when hunger is satiated, thirst is slaked, and adrenaline is pumping. Caring for your health is going to put your body into a state of unwavering happiness. There’s no sluggishness when you’re keeping up with your water intake. There’s no pain in your stomach when you’re eating the right foods and there’s no upset in store changing rooms when you’re working out and staying toned. Care for your health and your contentment will come.
Toxicity. To find a level of contentment that suits you, you need to get rid of all the toxicity in your life. Whether this comes from the form of negative people or your job is making you unhappy, you need to cut that away from you. You are not obliged to interact with anyone that makes you feel negative and unhappy.
Breathe. Take a moment, inside or outside, simply to draw in a slow and deep breath. Your muscles can relax, your thoughts are sharper, and your heart is lighter. Simply by breathing, you can slow your heart rate, steady your thinking and let go of stress. Try it right now and see.
Finding contentment will be different for everyone, but putting yourself first is going to make your entire life so much happier.
