Mindful Monday episode 1

“Happiness consists not in having much, but in being content with little”

Margarite Gardiner, Countess of Blessington (1789-1849)

Hello lovelies and welcome to my first Mindful Monday post. I am setting myself the goal of starting each week with a motivational and/or inspiring quote to help keep me in a healthy state of mind for the week to come.

I feel as though in our current digital world of social media, it is easier than ever before to focus on what everyone else seems to have. I am the first to admit we do it to ourselves. I have never gotten onto a social media account and after scrolling been able to put the phone down and say to myself, “wow, I feel so much better about myself.”

Of course not. I always feel worse. Most of us I think always feel worse.

It would be easy to say that avoiding social media is the obvious solution, but I don’t know if that is actually true. Moderation is probably a more realistic goal, like overconsumption of anything else it usually only leads to a negative result. Even with moderation though it is easy for me at least to become disheartened after being on social media platforms. I want to be mentally strong enough to fight against these feelings of comparison when they come, and to never forget how beautiful my own life is even if that beauty looks a little different.

So, how do we fight for contentment in a culture that always wants to consume more and more? I can only speak for myself, but I do know taking the time to realize how much I have been given and blessed with is always a good place to start. Family, friends, education, opportunities, freedom. These are not small things to have had in my life, and to continue to have.

When I am unhappy with my life, or wanting the life of someone else, I feel as though I am completely disregarding what priceless gifts I already have been given.

We so easily believe the lie that happiness is having more and more, always more and better than before. But more is never enough. At least it is never enough for me.

Contentment though, that can never be bought, and it is so so difficult to achieve.

But I am fighting for it, each day.

I want to have eyes that see beauty in the ordinary, small moments that we never seem to value because we are so sure they will come again tomorrow. Eyes that see each life as unique and not meant to look like everyone else’s. A heart that wants what it already has and is not jealous for having what it still wants.

A mind that does not measure worth as our culture does – based on the car I drive, the home I live in, the clothes I wear, or the amount of money I earn. These are only things and the only value they give us is what we let them.

I am not defined by these things, and neither are you.

Life is a beautiful beautiful gift, and one I have been given is not meant to look like anyone else’s. That is why it is mine. Any why your’s is your’s.

I do believe Margarite was correct. True happiness can be found when we are able to simply be content with little. Knowing how large that little is, will help too.