Most people do not maintain consistent clarity and peace in life. They are not content and not clear why. Often, the mind is responsible for much of the struggle in life, continually dredging up the past, focusing on the future and indulging in endless chatter. Sometimes the mind can be a helpful distraction from the present because life seems less than perfect.
Or have you been taught to believe that life isn’t perfect? Have you been taught to see what is missing in life rather than to recognize what you have?
You may have been taught that you are not good enough. You are guilty. You are a sinner. You are greedy. You are ruining the planet. These messages have been passed down from one generation to the next. Your parents, grandparents, ministers and anyone whom you have put in a position of authority have shared these messages. Your imperfections have been thrown at you. False messages have been filtered into your psyche. They have helped solidify the belief that you are not perfect. Because you lack perfection, you therefore cannot be content.
The advertising industry depends on and perpetuates this message of imperfection. Products appeal to the masses by telling you how you can be thinner, better looking, smell great and have healthier skin and hair. Without buying the particular products being offered, you are lacking and therefore imperfect. Lack of status, lack of happiness, lack of beauty – you name it. The messages being conveyed are:
You are not good enough.
You do not have enough.
You do not do enough.
You will be happier when….
You would be happier if only….
How often do you ingest these messages? You hear them on the radio, watch them on television and read them in newspapers and magazines. You see them on billboards, bus stops and park benches. The bigger the city, the more the ad industry preys.
Even when you don’t pay much attention to these ads, the subliminal, subconscious effect is apparent. Your brain becomes aware of the ads on some level. And if the product is slightly practical, the message lingers: I could use that. My life would be better if I had that.
The messages are a subtle and consistent reminder that you are living in a scarcity mentality. Many of them leave you feeling competitive or jealous, dwelling on your self-proclaimed imperfections and leave you feeling depressed.
The messages you have collected from your family, religion, society and advertising have combined to program you to believe you are lacking perfection, which makes you doubt your inherent knowledge. These messages have become your beliefs, whether you are aware of them or not. Many people have unconscious sabotaging beliefs such as: Life is hard. Life is not fair. There is never enough time or money. You can never be too rich or too thin.
This can lead to fear that keeps you unsatisfied – scared that if you communicate your needs directly you will be rejected and in a worse situation. In reality, however, this is seldom the case.
What would happen if everything in your life and your mindset shifted and you found contentment?
Take some time and get everything working perfectly in one area of your life. Make it something very significant, like contentment in your job, your home, in your relationships or your health. See how long it is before you can find something wrong again. Because you have been taught that life is hard and unfair, you will likely find ways to create this for yourself.
People become addicted to drama, misery and unhappiness. It doesn’t matter if it’s a bad marriage, career, friendship or a lack of time, money, love or health. There’s an unhealthy comfort in staying with what is not working rather than step into the unknown or deal with the problem at hand. People have learned to attach to drama, misery and the box that they’ve put themselves into just as children remain attached to their tattered baby blankets. The most phenomenal person or circumstance could be just around the corner, but nobody ever makes that turn. If you never release your familiar agony, it’s impossible to discover unfamiliar bliss.
Many believe that things could always be better. Living in joy requires striving for contentment as it stands now.
This doesn’t mean you should be complacent and settle for what is less than ideal. Instead, be active in seeking contentment. Move away from complaint and misery. Still your mind by embracing silence and stillness. Determine what you need to be content and manifest it. And along the way, no matter what stage you are at, recognize the good things in life. There are many forces working together for your happiness.
It is up to you to make it your reality.
