Dissatisfaction

In our lives we have enough influences that bring us down to mediocrity, depression, and overall dissatisfaction. We are often distracted by the many bright and shiny objects that surround us. Often, these objects distract us from the good parts of life. They don't just distract us from the things that merely make our lives appear more successful to others, but they distract us from meaningful changes in our character.

An epidemic in modern life is dissatisfaction. Either dissatisfaction with ourselves, with others, or our own situation. This dissatisfaction persists within us because we distract ourselves from facing it, by media, substances, or meaningless activities. This dissatisfaction grows like mold in a basement that we refuse to look at, we look away from the problem for fear that it actually is as bad or worse than we think. We justify not dealing with the mold or our dissatisfaction by telling ourselves that it is not that bad or that it will go away on its own.

We must make a change in ourselves. We must become a new person and leave behind that person and the actions that made us dissatisfied with our lives. There are a few ways that we can change who we are, but I would say the most effective way to start is by changing our daily habits. A good book that you could read to learn more about changing your habits is The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. By changing our daily habits, we can begin the transformation of elevating our character. We must have a goal in our minds of who we want to be, also what type of person we want to become.

I am not merely talking about making more money or obtaining a certain lifestyle. A meaningful change in our character will lift us out of our dissatisfaction with ourselves and make us more grateful and have real joy in our lives. A meaningful change in our character could be being more aware of the people around us, how they feel, and their situation. Looking outward at the world instead of focusing our energy on ourselves. These changes can be difficult to master and will not happen overnight, but an honest effort will ultimately help us to have peace in our lives. Peace with ourselves is the opposite of the dissatisfaction that most of us feel.

The characteristics that make men and women noble will drive the emptiness out of our minds and hearts. This elevation in character will bring true joy and self-worth. I am not suggesting noble as a birth right, but the characteristics of idyllic nobility. Attributes like doing the right thing when no one is watching or being kind to someone without self-gain in mind. Many times, these attributes are swept under the rug. Maybe these attributes aren't any less idolized in our society, but they are thought as unattainable or something we're born with not something worked for. Putting this ceiling on our self-elevation is foolish and deciding that we are the way we are and can't make ourselves better is a lie. That mind set is of the lazy and the miserable.

Let us make a change in ourselves. Be aware that this shift does not happen without much effort and without failure. The perseverance will ultimately lift us out of our dissatisfaction within us.