You can’t be happy!

You can be content but not happy,

Or is it happy but not content?

I can’t remember.

I do remember in the early years of my marriage my wife and I having a long discussion or debate maybe even an argument about this. Whatever it was, I am married long enough now to know she was correct.

There has been a lot of conversation about the semantics around each word.

One seems to be a mood, while the other is more a disposition. One an effect the other a choice?

Which is which and what does it matter?

I have found that as I get older, a quite discontent has driven me. I was not always driven.

In my younger years I was discontent through immaturity, this stage probably lasted longer than it should have. Actually it definitely did.

Every coin has two sides. Most things can be channeled for positive or negative means.

Through the intervention of some wiser mentors (see more about mentors here), I was influenced to change.

Seeing happiness modeled in other people’s lives allowed me to be able to set about changing for the positive.

The difference began to be clear.

It was around about then I started to read Covey and Earl Nightingale.

I learned that I could be discontent with situations or outcomes and yet still learn to be happy  in my life.

I could allow the discontent to be fuel for the engine that drives me to achieve greater results.

The trick is to not allow the discontent to bleed into other areas of your life.

Regardless of what we still have left to achieve we must never lose sight of the fact that we have so much to be grateful for. Gratitude is the catalyst that allows us to keep it positive.

After all life is short.

The most valuable resource available to us all is time. With the finite resource of time we must ensure that we leverage it to maximize every day.

Our days are too rich and full regardless of the balance left to achieve…

So today, stop and be mindful for the gratitude we must have…

Then filled with gratitude, allow that discontent to be our fuel.

Attack the day and tackle the list, just remember to be happy that you have the privilege to do so.
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Be happy !
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