contentment Archives - Minds Valley

Learning Contentment from my Cats

mindsvalley99 — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 14:52:05 +0000

When I run after what I think I want, my days are a furnace of distress and anxiety; if I sit in my own place of patience, what I need flows to me, and without any pain. – Rumi

When you are discontent, you always want more, more, more. Your desire can never be satisfied. But when you practice contentment, you can say to yourself, ‘Oh yes – I already have everything that I really need.’ – the Dalai Lama

He who is contented is rich. Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you. – Lao Tzu

No matter who you are, someone else will always have more. Yet on the contrary, most of us have exactly what we need at all times. The fact that we may be unaware of this does not diminish its reality.The grass is always greener on the other side, or so the saying goes.

If you pay attention, you can even see these spiritual truths play themselves out in the lives of animals. We have two cats with wildly differing personalities. Scout, a perspicacious tabby, was rescued as a newborn and has lived the life of a king. He has been pampered, coddled and adored since birth. An exclusively indoor cat, Scout has never had to want or fear for anything. Bella, our exotic homeless black and white beauty, came to our door two years ago, emaciated, lactating and frightened. She had much to fear living on the streets, starving and near death.

After living with both cats, I began to observe how these two animals react so very differently to the same situations. When we take them to the veterinarian, Scout stays calm, relaxed and happy. Bella just about jumps out of her fur with fear, which makes her life so much more difficult. Scout trusts us, content that we will look out for his safety. Bella fears every minute of the trip, worrying about what will happen next. She doesn’t trust, because bad things have happened to her.

I often think that God must see me like this, when I don’t trust and become fearful like Bella. If I would truly listen to His words, I think, I could be at peace:

For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. – Philippians 4:11

O Son of Spirit! Ask not of Me that which We desire not for thee, then be content with what We have ordained for thy sake, for this is that which profiteth thee, if therewith thou dost content thyself. – Baha’u’llah, The Hidden Words, p. 8.

I observe another example of contentment when it comes to feeding the cats. Scout has a sensitive stomach. He has to eat the boring dry cat food with no fun flavor enhancements or additives. Bella gets the yummy cat food. Because of Scout’s trust in us, he contentedly eats the food we put out for him, even though he probably prefers the other. Sometimes I see him looking at Bella’s food, but as soon as I say, “No, Scout,” he turns away immediately and won’t touch it. If I were him I would think that wasn’t fair, but Scout seems content that we know what is good for him.

If people could have that kind of trust and contentment, we would be much happier:

O Quintessence of Passion! Put away all covetousness and seek contentment; for the covetous hath ever been deprived, and the contented hath ever been loved and praised. – Ibid., p. 39.

O Son of Man! Upon the tree of effulgent glory I have hung for thee the choicest fruits, wherefore hast thou turned away and contented thyself with that which is less good? Return then unto that which is better for thee in the realm on high. – Ibid., p. 9.

Scout’s innocence reminds me of the innocence of a child. When we were young and all our needs were met, we were content and trusting. When the trials of life descend upon us, though, we discover that bad things can happen. Then we can learn a more deep and abiding trust—a trust and contentment in God that comes as a result of our own experience, understanding, and maturity. This deeper, more spiritual contentment does not depend on outward circumstance, and cannot be taken away. Though our lives go through changes, and they always do, we can remain calm and serene if we trust in the providence and the love of God.

We are blessed beyond measure. We are exactly where we need to be at any given moment, and everything we need is already inside of us. With contentment we realize that we have enough and we are enough:

Turn thy sight unto thyself, that thou mayest find Me standing within thee, mighty, powerful and self subsisting. – Ibid., p. 6.

In this Valley he feeleth the winds of divine contentment blowing from the plane of the spirit. He burneth away the veils of want, and with inward and outward eye, perceiveth within and without all things the day of: “God will compensate each one out of His abundance.” From sorrow he turneth to bliss, from anguish to joy. His grief and mourning yield to delight and rapture.

Although to outward view, the wayfarers in this Valley may dwell upon the dust, yet inwardly they are throned in the heights of mystic meaning; they eat of the endless bounties of inner significances, and drink of the delicate wines of the spirit. – Baha’u’llah, The Seven Valleys, pp. 29-30.

Contentment is not conditioned on time, place or circumstance, but in the trust of God’s love and grace.

Source link

The post Learning Contentment from my Cats appeared first on Minds Valley.

Is ‘quiet thriving’ the key to career contentment? Five ways to mindfully flip the switch and take back control of your wellbeing at work

mindsvalley99 — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 14:58:30 +0000

From gratitude journaling to yoga sun salutations before you’ve had your first coffee, wellbeing is booming.

In fact, consumers are now spending $1.5 trillion globally on wellness trends and it’s expected that by 2030 the wellness movement will be more tech based, personalised and seamlessly integrated into the working day.

And it makes sense when you look at the figures surrounding wellbeing in the workplace. UK employers are losing £45 million per year due to 17 million sick days taken as a result of mental health issues, including stress and anxiety.

Conversely, FTSE 100 companies that prioritise employee engagement and wellbeing outperform those that don’t by 10 per cent.

While being gifted a watch that prompts you to take five minutes to practise mindful meditation, or a free lunchtime yoga class are, in theory, great solutions to counteract wellbeing shortfalls, the reality is that workers don’t need bells and whistles to improve wellbeing at work.

Instead, some simple tweaks to your usual routine can make a vast difference to your day-to-day and may also help your career in the long run.

1. Open up the lines of communication

In some of the best workplaces in the world, empathy and support from leaders rank as some of the most important management traits. So if you feel like you need more support from your own boss schedule a meeting with them where you ask for feedback on your performance and your position within the company.

You should also use this time to set achievable goals you can work towards to realign your focus and set your mind at ease about what is expected of you, and how you’re going to get there.

2. Set boundaries

Do you often end up eating your lunch at your desk or staying late in work because others are and it’s part of company culture?

Not prioritising your own time and creating a work-life balance can have a detrimental impact on your wellbeing. In fact, 54 per cent of Brits would take a pay cut in exchange for more work-life balance.

One of the most effective ways to put some distance between your work and life is to set boundaries and stick to them. From not responding to non-urgent emails to taking your lunch break everyday, setting boundaries can contribute to a healthier attitude to work.

Not prioritising your own time and creating work-life balance can have a detrimental impact on your wellbeing

3. Foster a sense of belonging

From an employer’s perspective, fostering a sense of belonging is not only beneficial when it comes to employee engagement, it can result in better employee performance.

For workers, a feeling of belonging is important when it comes to feeling included and valued, so use office days to collaborate with your team and make an effort to get involved in social clubs or charitable events being organised by your company.

4. Ask for flexibility

Flexibility around workplace location continues to be a major concern for UK employees. Recent data found that 60 per cent of UK workers would rather add an extra three years on to their career in order to work remotely or in a hybrid environment, over working in the office full-time for the rest of their tenure.

And if your employer is insisting that you return to the office in a full time capacity, it’s worth having a conversation with them to see if you can negotiate a different arrangement that facilitates remote work.

If your employer is insisting that you return to the office in a full time capacity, it’s worth having a conversation with them to see if you can negotiate a different arrangement that facilitates remote work

5. Reassess your career

Sometimes, despite your best intentions, wellbeing at work remains out of your grasp, perhaps due to a toxic work culture, or a manager that simply refuses to meet you halfway when it comes to remote or hybrid work.

And if that is the case, a new job in a company that actively champions wellbeing and has put the necessary provisions in place to help employees achieve work-life balance could be the best solution.

In fact, 86 per cent of employees are more likely to leave a job that doesn’t support wellbeing.

If you do find yourself starting out on your job hunt, the Mail Job Board is the perfect place to start your search as it features thousands of roles in companies that are actively hiring.

Discover thousands of opportunities on the Mail Job Board today

Source link

The post Is ‘quiet thriving’ the key to career contentment? Five ways to mindfully flip the switch and take back control of your wellbeing at work appeared first on Minds Valley.