Generally speaking, the happiest people in the world are those that are content with what they have, be it great or small in the world’s eyes.

Feeling content with life is far more important than being rich, famous or successful for one major reason; however rich, famous or successful you become, if you cannot feel content with your life then you will not find happiness in life. Surely better to be poor and happy then rich and miserable. This post explores some simple ways to help put life back into perspective, however good or bad your feel at the moment.

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“Be content with your lot; one cannot be first in everything” -

Aesop

“Happiness consists not in having much, but in being content with little.” -

Marquerite Gardiner

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The Happiest People in the World

If you achieve the whole world but are not content with your lot then what have you really achieved.

Some of the happiest people on earth are those that have not seen much “success” as far as the world defines it; be it wealth, fame, popularity or power. Interestingly, it is these very same people that would not change their life for anything.

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This is because generally the happiest people in the world are those that are content with what they have, be it great or small in the world’s eyes.

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Being content with what you have in life, at this moment, right now, is the key to being at peace and enjoying your own unique life journey.

It’s important to have a purpose in life; goals and dreams, to challenge yourself and aim high, but to always live in the future and miss the present is a recipe for disappointment.

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Everything in life is about perspective, you’re perspective defines how you view the world, your situation, opportunities, risks, events and circumstance.

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It literally defines the life you are living. As Stephen R. Covey would say: “We must look at the lens through which we see the world, as well as at the world we see, and understand that the lens itself shapes how we interpret the world.”

If you struggle with being content and want to become more content with life then it is important to realise that it is not about trying to change the situation you are in, it is simply about changing your perspective. Below is a trick for an instant contentment boost whenever you need one and four practical ways of helping to change your perspective.

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1. Breathe in deep and sigh.

Simple, easy to do and yet so effective. Do one now and feel the effects flow through you. Great for relieving stress and tension. As you breathe in deep imagine filling your lungs to bursting point and then let it all go imagining all your stress, ill feelings and discontent flowing from your person. Take this expresso shot to your system any time you need it and definitely before each of the four activities below.

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2. Reflect on and be thankful for all the good things in your life.

Here’s some things to get you started.

A. They very fact that your alive is something to be very thankful for; that you can breath, see, touch, taste and hear the many amazing sights, sounds, flavours and textures the world has to offer.

B. The fact that you have a roof over your head, food in your stomach and a computer connected to all the information and people in the world is a blessing most people don’t have.

C. The fact that you have the freedom of choice and the availability of free time to do as you please and pursuit what you wish. The fact that you live in this time where there are so many opportunities available to you to do, experience and achieve anything you want to.

D. The fact you have people in your life that you care for and that care for you and you have the opportunity to have a relationship with them.

If you only had these things to be thankful for you are truly blessed. Take 5 minutes to reflect on what you are thankful for in your life every morning for a month and you will see a complete change in your perspective and by definition, your situation too.

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3. Help someone else worse off than you.

As a society and a race we are innately very selfish and inward looking. There is nothing more powerful in changing your perspective then to reach out to others that are less fortunate than you and require help. The extent to which you do this will obviously vary so here are a few suggestions that I have summarised into three categories.

The “everyone can do it” category:

Find someone close to you, a friend, a family member, the Big issue guy on the street and find a way to improve their day in just two minutes. Buy the big issue, be a listening ear, offer to pay for their sandwich.

The “step it up a level” category:

Carve out a free evening and help out at a soup kitchen, visit someone in hospital.

The “die hard John McClain” category:

Really push the boat out and volunteer at an orphanage abroad for a week and prepare for having your mind blown. Personally there have been four major events that are been a pivotal turning point in my life and have had a massive effect on defining who I am and volunteering in a Romanian and Polish Orphanage was one of them. To try and describe what I discovered would do the experience a disservice. If you want a sure fire way to completely change your perspective I highly recommend this option.

Other die hard possabilites could be working at a charity, a soup kitchen or the local old persons home, the possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

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4. Take some time to reflect on these facts:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2001/03/24/perspective.aspx

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5. Think about this statement:

It’s not all about you.

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Hopefully if you read through this blog it was a humbling and eye opening experience and has helped change your perspective. Enjoy this new look of life and feel happier knowing how blessed you are.

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