This morning I took a cold shower. It was awful…and exhilarating. It wasn’t by choice…it’s just that no matter how far I turned the dial to heat…it was still cold!
So I cringed and forced myself into the cold water. Then as it swam down my body I started to think…
I feel like I’m forcing myself to acclimate to this water…and it’s not happening! This water is freezing, but my body is warm, so all I can feel is the discord.
Then I wondered…is this what I’m doing when I try to force myself to be somewhere I’m not? When I get mad at myself because I’m not where I want to be in life…yet?
Am I forcing myself into cold waters every time I’m dissatisfied with the life I’m living? Shivering in uncomfortability for no reason?
Then I started to think about how many of us humans are rarely satisfied with the lives we lead.
Many of us are really good at pretending we’re happy, some of us think that if we had one more gadget, more money, a better looking body, etc, that our lives would be better. But I don’t think this is true. I think if our mindsets stink, we could have the world and still be unsatisfied.
I will be transparent: I’ve been very ungrateful as of late. It’s like I look around and I see all that I’m blessed with, but I still find a way to soak in the nasty feeling of dissatisfaction. I’m always noticing how something can be better, and sometimes I let that feeling overtake me.
So today…let’s discuss what choosing satisfaction over dissatisfaction can do for us. Because hopefully tomorrow…my shower is WARM!
THE VALUE OF SATISFACTION ☺️
What’s the value of feeling satisfaction? What can we gain by choosing to look at the bright side of our lives?
- BETTER FEELING EMOTIONS-I’m sure you already know this, but dissatisfaction does not feel good. It feels murky, nasty, and makes me personally want to punch someone. It’s frustrating. But when you choose to be satisfied with your lot in life, where you currently are, your mood lifts. You start to feel gratitude and appreciation from exactly what you DO have. And when you feel like that, good things keep on coming.
- ALLEVIATES STRESS-Stress is essentially a state of discord. When you are satisfied, you can not feel discord. It’s about focus. You can experience stress and still choose to focus on what you are satisfied with. Not always easy, but it can be done.
- YOU CAN SEE YOUR LIFE– Dissatisfaction has this way of making your entire existence look like it sucks. You start to neglect and take those around you for granted, and before you know it, no one is there for you anymore. If you want to see just how great your life is…LOOK at what you have. By being satisfied. Satisfaction allows you to truly APPRECIATE the people places and things in your life
A few simple ways to practice satisfaction daily
- Notice your dissatisfaction. Stop, and then notice how it makes you feel. Take that energy, and direct it into something in your life you DO appreciate.
- Make it a habit to tell people thank you
- Speak gratitude-thoughts over your food at every meal. (Essentially praying over your food)
- Make a deliberate choice to see how much you can find to be satisfied about. Then actually do it.
ONE CAVEAT
Dissatisfaction DOES have value as well. It can be used to motivate you towards what it is you do want—so don’t rule it out! It is nothing to be afraid of; it’s human nature to want increase.
Just don’t stay too deep in dissatisfaction because this can lead to depression and chronic illness. When you feel dissatisfaction, listen to what it’s telling you about what you want, but DON’T get stuck there!
How do you keep yourself from chronic dissatisfaction in your life? How do you invite the spirit of satisfaction in? Let me know in the comments!
Love,
Nia Venus 💋
Nia Venus 