Being Content in Chaos

Well-being is our natural state of being. For most of us, life can sometimes make it seem like contentment is a lofty goal. We stay on the run with busy jobs, kids, animals, church or group commitments, volunteer work, etc. We can’t stop juggling or things will be left undone, we think, and we’ll get behind only to have to work harder to catch up. We think we don’t have time to stop and enjoy. That’s what vacations are for, right?  We count the weeks and days until we can get away and catch a break. But then we might spend our vacation worrying about what’s happening at home or at work and we can’t enjoy our time.

I live in an old house, with an old yard, lots of old trees, old fences and animals to take care of. It’s a lot to keep up with and sometimes I can’t do it all. I spent several hours mowing the other day and then came in to tidy up the house. I started to feel overwhelmed with all that needed to be done and then I realized I was so busy trying to keep up that I wasn’t enjoying what I’d already done. I love seeing the lawn cut and the smell of freshly mowed grass. So, I grabbed a cup of coffee and slipped out with my dog Maggie to enjoy a few moments outside in the yard. 

If we’re constantly looking for the next thing that needs our attention, we’re forever over-stressed, feeling like life is swallowing us up. There are always things that need to be taken care of and we won’t ever get it all done. We have to be OK with that. It’s important to find time in your day to be content; to be in a state of satisfaction, peace, and happiness, even when things seem chaotic. We can enjoy that contentment like the feeling after you’ve had a wonderful meal, great sex, or a hug from your spouse, an old friend, or a child. My husband, David, used to take time to rock our friends’ baby to sleep when we had their kids over. There’s nothing closer to heaven than rocking in the front porch swing with a baby in your arms, he’d say. That was his time with that baby and nothing else mattered.

If we can just Be, and be in the moment, no matter what we’re doing, we find that inner peace that fills us up with wonderful contentment. We must be deliberate about it at first. It’s a practice that we get better at as we continue to be consciously aware of it. We can refocus our attention on the here and now and appreciate our ability to be doing whatever it is we are doing. Contentment improves our ability to stay focused in the moment. It feels so good, and we want more of that as we engage with it. When we can get into that state of being, the things we need to do get easier. From contentment, we get in the flow, and we end up getting more done in less time, with much better results.