Our daily lives are full of frustrations, and this ruins them for us. We want more, always more, and that’s why our present no longer suits us. So how can we stop living in frustration? Here are 7 tips for learning to be content with what you’ve got.

1 – Replace frustration with gratitude and be content with what you have

It’s human to want things, but we still need to learn how to calm our frustration.

Frustration blinds us and makes us reject our present and everything in it: our relationships, what we do and what we have.

Yes, because of frustration, we take a gloomy view of our present.

So how can we stop living like this, how can we manage to be content with what we’ve got?

I invite you to replace frustration with gratitude. Every time you hear yourself saying or thinking: “It’s a pity I don’t have this or that in my life”, take the time to list 3 things you already have in your life for which you feel grateful.

In other words, see what you already have rather than what you lack.

2 – Replace impatience with gentleness and be content with what you have

Sometimes we want something and wish it were already in our lives. So we get impatient.

This ruins our lives because it’s all we can think about, and so we neglect the things we already have in our lives.

In fact, it’s as if they no longer have any interest for us and don’t really make us happy.

So how can we avoid letting impatience make us doubt our present happiness? How can we learn to be content with what we have?

I invite you to replace your impatience with gentleness. In fact, whenever you’re impatient, whenever you forget to be content with what you’ve got, return to gentleness by imagining that what you want is on the way. It happens. When exactly, you don’t know, but it happens.

Then breathe and return to the present.

You can go even further, in your present, list all the things you have that took you a long time to get. Remember that everything takes time. Sometimes a little, sometimes a lot.

3 – Replace envy with peace of mind and be content with what you have

In our modern society, it’s hard not to give in to envy. Indeed, there are more and more advertisements and, with social networks, we can see all the beautiful things people have in their lives.

As a result, our envy rises and prevents us from living serenely in the present.

So how can we avoid giving in to envy? How can we learn to be content with what we have?

I invite you to replace envy with peace of mind. In other words, whenever you see yourself craving something, envying someone, take a breath and repeat this to yourself like a mantra: “I am enough and I have enough.”

Indeed, be at peace with your present and with what you already have. Repeat to yourself that you don’t need anything more.

4 – Slow down instead of running

Our lives go far too fast. Indeed, to be happy, we’re led to believe that we need to have lots of things and carry out lots of activities.

But what if happiness lay in less, but better?

What if it was in slowness rather than speed?

That’s why, to be content with what we’ve got, we urgently need to slow down and simplify our lives and our agendas.

To do this, I invite you to review your priorities, your activities and keep only the essentials.

In concrete terms, ask yourself this question when planning certain tasks or when you’re about to do something: “What if my priority was to slow down, to do less but better, would I do that?”

All too often, we do things because we think we have to. So put some conscience back into your life and keep only what seems essential.

5 – Loving instead of getting used to or forgetting

Too often, it’s hard to be content with what we have, because we forget how lucky we are. In fact, we get used to our happiness.

In fact, we get used to eating our favorite food, taking our favorite walk and even our life partner.

Yes, little by little, the beautiful things in our lives lose their flavor.

So how can we stop forgetting what makes us happy? How can we learn to be content with what we have?

To do this, I invite you to bring awareness back into your present. In fact, list all the things that make you happy, all the reasons you have to smile. You can list 10 to start with, but as you go along, build up to 100.

Then reread this list every week: on Sunday evening or Monday morning, for example.

Remember what makes you happy, because happiness is found in the little things of everyday life, but we all too often forget that.

6 – Collect moments rather than things

To be content with what we have is to stop making our happiness dependent on objects. Yet this is what we’re told all day long in advertising: “Buy this, because it will make you happier.”

What if instead of collecting objects, you collected moments?

In other words, what if you treated yourself to moments of joy, rather than objects that are all too often tasteless?

In concrete terms, to be content with what we have, it’s essential to pay more attention to the magical moments in our lives: a hug from a loved one, a joke from a colleague, a meal shared with family, a new person we’re getting to know, the joy of reading a text message from a friend we haven’t spoken to in a while…

In fact, our present is full of little moments of joy like these, but we don’t always live them to the full.

So I invite you to turn off the TV and social networks and get back to the magical moments of your daily life.

You don’t need new objects, you need to rediscover your emotions and sensations in contact with the people around you.

7 – Get back to basics and make do with what you’ve got

Being content with what you have means going back to basics. But what is essential?

The essential is a question: “What if my priority today was simply to be happy?”

Because we tend to postpone our happiness until later: when we’ll have this or that… Yet happiness can only be conjugated in the present. Yes, it’s in the moment.

So I wholeheartedly invite you to remember that your priority every day is not to have this or that, but to be happy, right here, right now.

To do this, remember that your happiness has no conditions to meet, it’s just you who decides to be happy with what you have, despite everything.

In fact, instead of inviting frustration, impatience and envy into your daily life, invite happiness. Put it in everything you do, everywhere you are and in every thought you have.

Find out more:

I invite you to read these 2 complementary articles:

Discover How to cultivate joie de vivre: 10 helpful advice
Discover How to nurture gratitude on a daily basis: My 7 best tips

I recommend this inspiring book:

The Power of Less: The Fine Art of Limiting Yourself to the Essential…in Business and in Life by Leo Babauta

In The Power of Less, Leo Babauta advocates finding contentment by simplifying and focusing on the essential aspects of life. The book provides practical strategies for decluttering personal and professional spheres, emphasizing the power of simplicity and minimalism. Its approach encourages us to be content with what we have by letting go of non-essential commitments and possessions, allowing us to flourish and appreciate the present moment more fully. The Power of Less is a guide for those who seek contentment through a deliberate, simplified approach to life.

I read a lot of books like this, personal development books, guides, instruction manuals and so on. I often feel like I have to stop and absorb what I’ve read, but the great thing about this book is that 99% of it is common sense, but reading it and having your mind on it at the time is often more than enough to stimulate you. A thoughtful and well-written book, if like me you gravitate towards these kinds of books, this one is better than most and worth your time and money.

Thank you very much for reading this article.

If you liked it, let me know in the comments.

Take care of yourself