Mindfulness and Contentment

According to Psychology Today:

Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention on the present. When you’re mindful, you observe your thoughts and feelings from a distance, without judging them good or bad. Instead of letting your life pass you by, mindfulness means living in the moment and awakening to experience.

Mindfulness and contentment are a necessary part of a minimalist lifestyle. Being minimalist means having enough and being happy with that. Whether it’s a 10-item capsule wardrobe or a closet filled with vibrant clothes you love, as long as you’re happy with what you have, you can know contentment. If you spend all your time getting dressed thinking, “I have nothing to wear!” or considering anything your “least favorite” dress, pair of pants, etc., then you’re comparing and focusing on lack instead of being grateful for abundance.

This line of thinking translates to everything. Your job, for example. Are you happy at work? Some people are truly excited about their position, their company, and everything to do with their career track. Others are happy enough to have a stable job and a regular paycheck, even though there are things they don’t love. And still others can’t stop thinking about getting out of their current position, sure that the next one will be their dream job and they’ll finally be happy.

Maybe you’re changing your lifestyle to be more healthful and energizing. You’re trading in your pj pants for workout shorts, getting up early to exercise, and cutting out the junk food from your diet. But are you doing these things because you know they make you feel healthier, happier, and more vibrant? Or are you convinced that if only you could fit into a smaller size, you’d be happy with your body after all these years?

Here’s a tip: You are enough. You have enough.

Whether it’s health, money, or stuff – your life is abundant and enough. When we’re content and grateful, we are vibrating on good frequencies. The more you think to yourself, “I am so grateful for a job that allows me to use my skills and learn new things,” the more skills and new things you’ll learn which will probably turn into higher job satisfaction and even performance-based raises. If you instead compare everything to what you don’t have, or what other people have more of than you do, you’re vibrating on a frequency that invites other people to compare you unfavorably to your peers. Be cool. The universe loves you.

In October, I’m going to focus a lot on mindfulness and contentment. The cool autumn air always seems to energize me to make big changes in my life. And I’ve gotten un-mindful lately. I invite you all to live in the moment with me this month, to be content with enough, and to manifest good things through gratitude.