I was recently chatting with a friend about being content with the present. We were talking about how we both wanted to feel like we were doing more, but our schedules always kept us in one place, or goals got misaligned or off-track easily. It got me thinking: How can I be happy with where I am right now?

Be grateful

According to Kristin Neff, author of Self-Compassion: Stop Beating Yourself Up and Leave Insecurity Behind, “Self-compassion is the ability to treat yourself with warmth, kindness, and understanding when you are suffering.”

In other words, being grateful is like a muscle that needs strengthening. 

The more you practice gratitude and appreciation, the healthier your mind will be. Try these exercises regularly:

• Let go of anger by remembering what you’re grateful for
• Write down three things that make you happy each day (and read them before bed)
• Start each day by writing down what’s important about it in your journal or phone notes app

Focus on the present, not the past or future

We all spend a lot of time thinking about the past, worrying about the future, and wishing that we could change something in our lives.

But it’s important to remember that the present is all we have. It’s the only thing that’s real.

So instead of dwelling on what has happened or worrying about what might happen, try focusing on being in the moment — particularly when it comes to your relationships.

Being content means finding positivity in mistakes and bad days

When managing your emotions, the key is finding positivity in mistakes and bad days.

If you’re having a bad day, there are several things you can do:

• Make a list of all the good things that happened today. If you need help thinking of any, try flipping through your calendar or checking out photos from the day on your phone.
• Think about how you can use this experience to help others, either by learning from it or helping someone else learn from it. 

Have no expectations of people or plans

The first step to being content with the present is to realize that no one can be perfect. You cannot control other people’s actions, and you cannot expect a specific outcome in the future.

If you want something from someone, stop demanding it and accept what they are willing to give. Then, you can decide how much you’re ready to accept!

In addition to expecting others’ behavior (good or bad), we also have expectations of ourselves—for example: “I should always be happy” or “I must always work out.” These thoughts will cause stress instead of happiness if we fail to reach those expectations!

Defining your feelings and expressing them to others helps you stay content

One of the most important things you can do is to express your feelings.

This may shock some, but expressing your feelings doesn’t always mean being honest with others. Sometimes it means receiving support from someone who understands what you’re going through and wants to help.

Expressing yourself effectively takes practice, but here’s how:

• Be clear about what you’re feeling. If it helps, write down your thoughts so they are organized and easy to remember when sharing them with someone else. This will allow them better to understand the situation from your point of view, even if they haven’t gone through it themselves yet!
• Remember empathy! It’s essential for both parties because it allows one person (or multiple people) who knows nothing about how another person feels inside their head to think about what might cause them distress.

Do not compare yourself to others

• Do not compare yourself to others
• Do not compare your progress to someone else’s progress
• Don’t measure your life by how well someone else does in theirs

You can be content with the present while still having dreams for the future

You can be happy with the present while still having dreams for the future. However, before moving on to your dreams, you must be content with the present.

If you need help with being content, I hope this list of tips can help you. Remember to take things one step at a time, and don’t get overwhelmed by the big picture! If you need more guidance on implementing these ideas, check out our other articles about finding happiness and living mindfully.