Faith: Are we ever satisfied?
We often move through life going from milestone to milestone. As humans we are always on the quest for the next thing. We never stop to smell the roses. We can complain forever about not having a job and then when we get one we complain about waking up early. We bark about being single and then when we are in a relationship we dish about feeling unappreciated. Even when it comes to the food we eat, there is always room for dessert. Leading me to ask are we ever satisfied?
This previous week in particular had me wondering this very thing about my life. I recently moved into my own apartment, the first time ever I would be living alone. It is certainly a milestone for me. I was in apartment bliss for about 48 hours until I started to notice how particularly quite it was, then I started thinking how great it would be to cuddle with someone in front of this fireplace and then my mind started thinking of a laundry list of completely NEW things to stress, worry and want. I was quite pissed with myself, like “Damn, you cant even be satisfied for a week?”
Its not just me; I know people who have gotten things they have wanted for years, only to complain about those very things shortly afterward. Just imagine if tomorrow we got everything for which we've been hoping, wishing and praying; then right after we get it, we throw it down and complain that it took too long to get here.
Solution. I am all too familiar with feeling unsatisfied. I recognize that I don't like this about myself. Besides constantly monitoring my thoughts (which is a whole different post), my solution is Gratitude. Saying Thank You out loud. There are times when I walk around my room saying all the things for which I am thankful. I know it might sound corny but at the end of this exercise I have so much joy. Once I sat down and wrote all the things I was thankful for and hung it up on my mirror as a daily reminder. Coming to a point in life where you have more gratuitous moments then unsatisfied ones takes spiritual work. Invest the time. Do the exercises. Become better. The book “You Can Heal Your Life” by Louise Hay, helped me develop many of these exercises.
Finally, I don't want to mistake being satisfied with being unmotivated. We should all be working toward goals and getting to the next level. However, I believe this process should not hinder our happiness or our ability to be thankful for the progress we have made.
Do you find yourself unsatisfied when you reach certain milestones in your life? Do you take the time to acknowledge your progress? Share your thoughts and comments.