Life can feel like a never ending race. Having each component of your life running at the optimum level is what we all attain to yet never seem to achieve. We constantly measure our own success against where we are compared to another person. More often than not achieving what we want and then aiming for something bigger and better.
What if you took a step back and looked at what you have right now. Whether it be your health, your children or a warm bed to sleep in at night know that whatever is due to come your way will and whatever is not yours to keep will slip away and you will have no control.
When you accept this fact you pave the way for contentment.
I’m not saying you should simply settle for a life that doesn’t bring you joy. Rather, you should continue to dream big, set goals for yourself, and work towards them enjoying the journey that comes with it.
The strange thing about contentment is that it’s possible to feel fulfilled inside yet have outer struggle at the same time. That’s because contentment celebrates the good in your life while simultaneously working through the bad. Whereas happiness may come and go, being content is something you can continually work towards.
Being content is a mindset and here we discuss how you can get there.
Take Care
If you want to feel more content with the way you are now, start taking care of yourself inside and out. Sometimes we stay focused on the future because we imagine ourselves in a different light whether that be richer, slimmer, happier etc. We take a moment to imagine and then carry on as we are. Make a positive small change towards what you want to achieve and you are already one step closer.
Focus on your strengths
We spend a lot of our lives trying to change what we don’t like about ourselves. If we are not fixated on changing we tend to complain about the things we don’t like. Once we accept that we are human and inevitably have weaknesses we can look to put that aside and focus on something way more useful … our strengths. Building on our strengths gives us a purposeful focus and leads to spending time productively.
Look after your mental health and practice mindfulness
A mindfulness practice is one of the best ways to gain some inner peace and reduce stress. Mindfulness is about appreciating where you are without striving to change anything or make something happen. If you want to start enjoying your life more, try doing something three days a week that will help you to live in the moment whether that is some meditation, yoga, or a nature walk. This will enable you to focus during salat (prayers) and make “being in the moment” and focus second nature.
Write down 3 different things you are grateful for everyday
This one is simple and will slowly change your mindset. It can be something small or something big. The point is to take time to think about what is good in your life. This reflection can ground you on a bad day and boost you when things are going well. Islamically this is a great habit and will ingrain the words Alhamdulilah for everything into your daily thinking. 
It is important to keep your log as once you do this continuously you can look back and see how your entries have evolved over time.
These steps do not require money, equipment or anything other than your time. Make the time to make a change, being continually grateful and contentment will follow.
I wish I had learned about mindfulness 20 years ago and made it a part of my everyday life! It’s a real eye opener x
This is something I have really been trying hard to focus on this year. A whole year of lockdown in 2020 has had a great impact on the state of our mental health. It’s important to take a few moments to recalibrate.