The Key To Happiness Is Contentment–Here’s How To Cultivate More Contentment In Your Life

My pastor takes frequent mission trips to Jamaica and has grown close with the people there. Whenever he shares his experiences, he reflects on the locals in Jamaica, who are poor, have few possessions, and live mundane lives, yet they’re some of the happiest people he’s encountered. He said the local churches are so upbeat and excited. It’s as if they’re celebrating something, but they’re just thankful and happy. So where did we go wrong in first-world America? 

Addiction in America

We have the freedom to live our lives however we please, and we certainly have more than those in third-world countries, but if you look around, many people still aren’t happy. The Washington Post reports that “Researchers posit the country’s declining happiness is likely due to an ‘epidemic of addictions,’ which includes everything from substance abuse and gambling to social media usage and risky sexual behaviors.” 

It’s hard to deny that our culture encourages addiction. We’re encouraged to indulge in everything! Addiction is often considered to be drug or alcohol related, and while this is a major issue, we’re all addicted to smaller and less drastic things. 

Researchers posit the country’s declining happiness is likely due to an ‘epidemic of addictions.’

We’re one of the most obese countries in the world. Our portion sizes keep getting larger. And there is a focus on sex and porn more than ever too. Some people are no longer satisfied with a loyal, monogamous relationship, which has led to open or polyamorous relationships, cheating, and porn addiction. Social media contributes to the porn issue, and other problems too. Can any of us even go a day without checking our phones? It feels impossible because we’re now moving in the direction of doing everything online. So whether it be food, sex, social media, status, or substance, everyone chases the next high, and then eventually, we crash. 

Rather than living in the moment, we’re looking for what is next. If you’re finding yourself unsatisfied and irritable, it might be beneficial for you to learn about contentment. 

Defining Contentment

It’s not a bad thing to strive for better. We can all improve something about ourselves, and using hard work and discipline, we can achieve great things. But while we’re striving for better things, we can still work on being content in our circumstances. In a podcast I recently listened to, author and pastor Jonathan Pokluda discussed this. He said, “I think we're on a happiness journey. We wake up and think, ‘What is going to make me happy?’...What if the secret to happiness is managing your expectations? Our greatest disappointments come from our expectations. But what if we expect hardship?”

He goes on to say, “The person who sits somewhere and thinks something else will make me happy, they’re the saddest person. The happiest people on this earth are those who have learned to find joy in serving others.” Though he is speaking from a Christian perspective, I think anyone can experience the truth of this.

We often compare our lives to other people’s lives, and wish we had what they have. But sometimes those people, who seemingly have better lives, aren’t even happy. Or we compare our current situation with the ideal life we had dreamed up for ourselves. You might not have everything you want in life, but maybe you have a lot of great things: a close family relationship, loving friends, good health, a decent job, or simply a roof over your head. If the people who own little to nothing in third-world countries can find things to be happy about, then we should be overjoyed with our lives. 

The happiest people on this earth are those who have learned to find joy in serving others.

Tips on Becoming Content

This is easier said than done, as we all can struggle to find contentment in the mundane or in difficult circumstances, but here are some things you can do to promote contentment with your life:

Take a Break from Social Media

This is beneficial because if we can learn to stop scrolling constantly, we can learn to sit in the quiet, and be content with ourselves. Social media causes us to compare ourselves to other people’s lives constantly and makes us unsettled. 

Make a List of What You’re Grateful For

It sounds too simple, but if you can write down all the little and big things you’re thankful for (daily, weekly, or monthly), you start to realize how much you have in life. Positive thinking can change your perspective on life. 

Take a Walk 

It’s so good for you to take walks in nature. Put your phone down, and go outside for a walk. Embrace the quiet, and let your thoughts wander. This also benefits your overall health. 

Serve Others

Doing a good deed or serving people promotes happiness and personal growth. Not only can it improve relationships, but it makes you more grateful.  

Have a Healthy, Balanced Lifestyle

Holding on to addiction will prevent us from contentment and personal growth. Again, this isn’t just substance abuse; it's food addiction, social media addiction, porn, shopping, work, or whatever else it may be that you’re abusing. Take the steps you need to address the root cause of the problem in order to move toward a balanced and healthier lifestyle.

Closing Thoughts

We’re basically programmed to chase the next high in our culture, to always be looking for the next best thing. As a result, we’re irritable, unhappy, and addicted to things. But it doesn’t have to stay this way. If we can teach ourselves to be content with the present, and learn to be grateful for the positive things in our lives, we will become happier. It will benefit our health, relationships, and personal growth. Our circumstances don’t have to be picture-perfect to be happy. We can find joy right where we are in life. 

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