That strange, gut-wrenching feeling you have is not the sushi you had for lunch. It's your soul trying to give you a nudge to do something. A word for that feeling is "discontent." Discontent is a state of not being satisfied or fulfilled in your current situation.
Of course, this same feeling can apply to a hundred different situations, from a work-related issue to a personal issue at home. But, the resulting meaning is still the same: "make a change." Some people listen to that feeling and change their life in such a way as to eliminate that feeling. However, some people that fall into discontent, but tend to remain in that situation as they find it a place of "same-ness" and "safety."
--- Souler Greenhouse ---
Discontent is actually a "souler greenhouse" of change. It is the first warnings you receive that things are not what they should be and that a change is required to correct the situation. Discontent comes when there is juxtaposition between needs and desires. Usually, you're pursuing a need, achieve it, and then continue to pursue the ideals of the same need. This occurs because you don't know what to do once you reach the objective. However, once you achieve a need, you need to move on to the next pursuit.
Many people find that discontent for a given situation is acceptable. For instance, discontent with your work might feel acceptable because you have to make money and care for your family. In this way, you learn to overcome the discontent by accepting the obligations. However, while this may work, it is not necessarily the route to take. Indeed, you might need the job, but this feeling is calling for an evaluation as some aspect of the situation needs attention.
Discontent can provide you with either a reason to stay right where you are or a fertile environment from which to move forward. While it does provide a way for the Universe to bring attention to a situation, we sometimes become so accustomed to the feeling that it becomes part of our life. In such a case, if we adapt and the discontented feeling is resolved, we will miss it.
--- Growth ---
Growth from discontent is an amazing change. Again, comparing to the greenhouse, it can either smother you, or help you grow. However, change from discontent is something that you have to execute consciously, because discontent can also provide you with a safety zone. By accepting discontent in one part of your life, it can spread into other areas of your life. You can become satisfied with the feeling because it becomes familiar. However, you end up working on parts of your life in hopes of resolving the feeling when you find that, once that part of your life has changed, you still feel the same.
Growth occurs because you feel a push, or pull, to move in a direction. The objective is to obtain a balance such that the discontent disappears. Once you achieve the necessary change, you will be able to leave the discontented feelings behind you. Focus on the situation that makes you feel the discontent, not on other issues that may, or may not, make you feel better. The contented feeling from "doing busy work" or fixing something that isn't broken is fleeting, unless you tackle the core issue.
The growth comes in once you embrace the change. When you move from an area of the familiar, you must learn something new or different to adapt to the unfamiliar. However, in this transition, you are putting your life back in balance and moving forward, which eliminates those feelings of discontent.
--- What's next? ---
Don't let discontent drag you down! Listen to your gut! It will always tell you when change is necessary. It might be a simple gnawing feeling or a twisted knot. In either case, be honest with yourself and trust that feeling. Discontent is the universe's way of telling you that a change is necessary within yourself to resolve the situation. It is there to warn you of situations and guide you when things need to change.
To make the change, you have to know where you are and where you want to be in the near future. However, the one thing to keep in mind is that you want to achieve some type of balance to counter the discontent. Remember that discontent is caused from an imbalance in one or more parts of your life. Ask yourself, and focus on, what it is that is causing you the most concern. Once you are able to determine the issue, only then can you set out on a goal that satisfies the feeling. Such an approach will not only restore balance, but it will also allow you to move forward to a more fulfilling life.
About The Author
Edward B. Toupin is an author, life-strategy coach, counselor, and technical writer living in Las Vegas, NV. Among other things, he authors books and articles on topics ranging from career success through life organization and fulfillment. For more information, e-mail Edward at etoupin@toupin.com or visit his sites at etoupin@toupin.com or etoupin@toupin.com.
trusted cleaning company Lake Forest ..Being a mom can take a toll on your body,... Read More
"At birth, a baby's brain contains 100 billion neurons, roughly... Read More
Discover how easy it is to improve your relationships. The... Read More
Barry was on the phone in his office, speaking with... Read More
How you feel about yourself truly does affect your interaction... Read More
How are you? Where do you get a positive attitude... Read More
One thing in life is certain---change. Things never stay the... Read More
A joke is a way of getting people to laugh.... Read More
The universe is vast, it's dimensions inconceivable, it's potentialities unimaginable,... Read More
Today, I wanted to mention this notion of self-sabotage.I recently... Read More
Every emotion, wether we classify it as good or bad,... Read More
The late Norman Vincent Peale was a controversial preacher who... Read More
Often when radical change occurs in our lives we feel... Read More
Part 1Recently, in a women's therapy group that I run,... Read More
Have you ever felt the whole world was against you?... Read More
Visualization is the art of using ones imagination to influence... Read More
Your mindset is a strong factor in achieving any type... Read More
"Who am I fooling?" "I'm a loser," "I'm too old,"... Read More
No one likes rejection. And yet it happens. Here's how... Read More
There is no such thing as failure ? only feedback... Read More
There are only two emotions we can experience; love or... Read More
Empty, Hollow, Nothing?.those words shout the sound of disappointment and... Read More
Drinking damages the soul; being lustful damages the vitality; greed... Read More
An Attitude of Gratitude. How important is this to you... Read More
Many of us allow our fear to stop us in... Read More
pet-friendly home cleaners Lincolnshire ..Are you aware of your inner dialogue? If not, you... Read More
Want to improve your personal performance? Positive self-talk can help.Edward... Read More
As I walked my dogs recently on what "should" have... Read More
Let's say you're ready to change some aspect of your... Read More
How do you explain things to yourself? With positive self... Read More
I was a young girl aged 12, when the one... Read More
The power of positive thoughts to affect one's experience of... Read More
Almost everyone experiences some form of worry one time or... Read More
Our lives are busy. We rush here only to remember... Read More
How are you? Where do you get a positive attitude... Read More
"For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is... Read More
At first glance, it would seem that positive thinking and... Read More
For some reason, most people find it easier to think... Read More
Humans tend to categorize things by large or small, bright... Read More
"It really works!" "Well, I'll be?!"BJ like so many others... Read More
It sounds a little masochistic, but I actually appreciate being... Read More
Do you really believe that there is anything in this... Read More
If I say the word "CHANGE" how do you feel?... Read More
Speaking comes to most people as naturally as breathing. On... Read More
The other day one of my "challenging clients" and I... Read More
Conflict is unavoidable. How we respond to it makes a... Read More
Each of us has a mind by which we convert... Read More
Our initial reaction when hitting a setback or a "roadblock,... Read More
In the international bestseller, Blink, Malcolm Gladwell explains how researchers... Read More
Near the end of December 2004, I received an email... Read More
Positive Attitude Tips |