How to be content with yourself: 7 Steps to Practice Gratitude!

Learn how to be content with who you are and what you have in your life.

If you are not content with yourself, no money or luxury item will fill that hole.

So, how can you become content and grateful for what you have?

How to be content with yourself:

You are the Expert – Follow yourself!
Fully and unapologetically be yourself
Know that you are great already
What are you already grateful for in your life?
How to practice gratitude
Therapy
Take Action

The first part of how to be content with yourself has some generic advice that you might have heard already and might want to skip.

But especially the last part can change your life and save you a lot of time being unhappy and not knowing why, if it applies to you.

So let’s start to be more content.

Be content with who you are:

1. You are the Expert. Follow yourself!

Be your own leader.

You know what’s best for you. Nobody but you can know that.

Always ask yourself: Does this advice make sense to me in my situation?

Because the information you consume can be brilliant for you at this stage of your life, but for somebody else, or you five years ago, or even five years from now, the advice can be harmful.

That’s why I say to follow you!

Think about what you see, feel, and hear, and if it makes sense to you. Because you have to live with the consequences of your actions, nobody else does.

Ultimately, you decide what kind of life you will lead.

That’s why you should see all advice you get as options; don’t take them as gospel or at face value. Take them as options you can take and as paths you can follow.

In the end, decide: Is this good advice for me? And follow yourself!

2. Fully And Unapologetically Be Yourself

Be unapologetic about life.

Do what you want to do.

Do you want to be filthy rich and own an island?

Or do you want to live your life with a regular job?

Go for it! Both are great!

Don’t hold yourself back by what others think about you and your life decisions. Do you. And go boldly after what you want as long as you do it in an ethical manner.

Get what you want, and don’t say sorry for getting it.

If more people went for what they wanted in an ethical manner, the world would be a less frustrated and better place.

Thoroughly and unapologetically be yourself from now on.

Say with me: “From now on, I will be unapologetic about what I want in life!”

And then follow it by taking action!

3. Know That You Are Great Already

You are great, good enough, and deserving already!

Too many institutions and marketing agencies want to tell you that there is something wrong with you. That you are missing something. That you are missing that one piece of information that will make you whole again. That you need to buy this one car, house, or clothing item to feel complete.

But you are complete already! You are perfect already! There is nothing wrong with you! Nothing!

When you want to change your life, do it out of a feeling like this: “I want to do this for me! It looks like fun!” Don’t do it just because you think you need to do it. Do it because you want to do it.

You are great already! Always remember that!

4. What are you grateful for?

Don’t look at what could be better or different about your life, but at what is great already.

Where are you already winning?

Maybe you are living your dream life without realizing it; why chase something different then?

Ask yourself:

Do you have a remarkable life, but don’t realize it or take time to appreciate it?
When was the last time you were content with what you have and where you are in life?
What can you be grateful for? Is your life great already? What is awesome?
Where are you already winning?

Instead of always looking at what could be better in your life, it’s a great practice to look at what is good, great, and perfect already!

That’s where practicing gratitude comes into play.

5. Practice Gratitude

Studies suggest that practicing gratitude has the following benefits: better sleep, better health, fewer symptoms of illness, more happiness, stronger relationships, and greater life satisfaction.

If these things are not enough incentive to practice gratitude, I don’t know what is?

Here are a few techniques to practice gratitude:

Gratitude Journal

Journal about three things that you are grateful for every day.

Here are a few tips to make your gratitude journal more powerful:

Don’t just go through the motions: Journaling is more effective if you make the conscious decision to become happier and more grateful.
Get personal: Focus on people to whom you are grateful for and why.
Go for depth over breadth: A superficial list of many things is not as effective as elaborating in detail about a particular thing you are grateful for.

Stop taking things for granted and highlight the positives in your life.

Write A Gratitude Letter

Write a gratitude letter to someone who has done something good for you. Maybe your parents for raising you, or a friend for being by your side in tough times.

Writing a gratitude letter boosts your sense of gratefulness and strengthens your relationships.

Imagine A Different Life

Imagine how your life would be different without the things you currently have.

For example, without your friends, family, children, house, car, electronic gadgets, or food.

Deprive Yourself

Abstain from things that give you pleasure so that they are even more pleasurable next time.

This can be abstaining from your phone, TV, sweets, shopping, video games, social media, or even sex for a day, a couple of days, or even a month to a year.

Sometimes, you might even learn something new about yourself and decide: “I don’t need social media anymore.”

A Few More Gratitude Practices

Include an act of kindness in your life every day.
Take a savoring walk and notice the beauty nature has to offer.
Say “Thank you!” for things your loved ones usually do for you that you take for granted.
Take note when people do a good job and give recognition when it’s due.
Write a card to someone you haven’t seen in a while.
Meditate with your gratitude journal, giving thanks for all your good fortune.
Make gratitude a part of your family life and share what you are grateful for with each other during dinner time.

Remember, this is not a call for you to rationalize a bad situation.

Gratitude is not meant as a practice in which you tell yourself that a bad situation is good. Maybe you genuinely need to aim upwards and improve your life. But meanwhile, don’t forget to appreciate what you have.

Maybe you are living your dream life already, without realizing it!

6. Therapy

7. Take Action

Lastly, go after what you want by taking action right now. Nobody will give you your dreams on a silver platter. You have to take them.

And you will only get them by taking action right now!

Follow yourself, be unapologetic about life, know that you are great already, be sold on yourself, practice gratitude, do therapy, and take action right now!

Action Steps:

It’s All About Being Yourself! No money or reached goal will help you if you are not content with who you are. At HowHabit, we don’t believe in gurus or leaders. We believe in you following you because only you know what’s right for you. You are the expert of your life! Fully and unapologetically be yourself!
Write down: What can you be grateful for in your life? What is great already? Where are you already winning, and can you use this knowledge as inspiration to improve in other areas of your life too? Is your life remarkable already? And you don’t need to change anything?

How To Be Content With Yourself