matthew 7:7-8: being content

"You're blessed when you're content with just who you are--no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought." (Matt. 5:5, Message).

I am a go-getter, hard-worker, people-pleaser. Although that serves me well in many ways, it ultimately leaves me feeling like there is more I should be doing. It makes me feel I'm not doing everything I could or should be. And when I stop and take a break, I'm bombarded by thoughts of what I haven't done--and along with that comes guilt and shame.

What I really want, more than anything, is to be content. To just experience life, day to day, living in the present with no regrets, and without worrying about tomorrow. That seems like an impossibility for me. I know I need to let go of my semblance of control. I know that's going to be a process... I am going to have to swallow my pride and admit that I'm not perfect. And then I'm going to have to work on accepting myself for who I am. That means finding value in what I am, not what I do. It sure seems like it would be easier to just ignore this uncomfortable situation... but that hasn't gotten me anywhere close to feeling content.

One thing I know to be true is if you practice a feeling, it will develop and become stronger. That's the power of the mind-emotion connection. So in order to practice contentment, I need to focus on being a "proud owner" of "everything that can't be bought". And the number one thing I can be a proud owner of right now is the relationships I have with others. I would be absolutely miserable if I were the only living thing on this planet. So I am going to try to focus on being grateful for my husband, my family, my friends, and my pets. There are so many treasures within sharing time with others.