This is a question that many people struggle with. The question implies that they know that they should be satisfied. But for some reason, they are not. There are a few parts to answering this question. The first part is to understand your innate needs and how to meet them. Another part is to understand the problems of having too many things. A third part is to understand the forces that try to tell us that we need more than we do. With these in mind, let’s look at how to be satisfied with what you have:
Know the limits of physical comfort.
Physical comfort is the sign that you are meeting your physical needs. Otherwise, you would be uncomfortable. For example, you would be uncomfortable if you were dying of thirst. But if you are comfortable, then extras don’t add comfort. Here are some examples:
If your room is at the right temperature, then making it warmer or cooler will not add comfort.
If your mattress has the right firmness, making it softer or firmer will not add comfort.
If your stomach is full, eating more will not add comfort.
So if you are comfortable, there is no point in going for extra comfort. This should go a long way toward being satisfied with what you have.
Focus on your emotional needs.
Your happiness comes from meeting your emotional needs. That is once you have met your physical needs. Here is a general list of emotional needs:
Spending time with those you enjoy being around.
Doing and experiencing things you enjoy.
Doing things that make you feel good about yourself.
Moments of tranquility
Recognizing your good fortunes
These needs don’t include material things. But you can use material things to help meet some of them. Recognizing your good fortunes is one need that is worth noting. It is the most direct source of your happiness. It also includes satisfaction with what you have.
Know when your possession is good enough.
Satisfaction with what you have means knowing when your possessions are good enough. In this case, “good enough” means that it works as you need it to work. When this happens, trying to get extra will waste your resources instead of making it better. Here are some examples:
If your car is safe, reliable, comfortable, and efficient, you don’t need one that costs twice as much.
If you are comfortable sleeping on a full-sized bed, you don’t need a king-sized bed.
If your cell phone does everything you need it to do, then you don’t need an upgrade.
In the examples, the upgrades did not add any real value. If anything, they cost extra resources that you could have used for something else. This shows why the more expensive choices seldom improve your quality of life.
Know the problems caused by too many things.
Knowing the problems caused by too many things can help you to become satisfied with what you have. To know these problems, you should know that every room has a finite amount of space. Also, the more things you cram into this space, the less space will be available for each thing. It can reach the point where you run out of space. If that happens, clutter will pile up on horizontal surfaces. If this happens, the room will function terribly and look even worse. The only way to fix the problem at this point is to remove things.
Stop buying things you don’t need and get rid of things you don’t use.
When you stop buying things you don’t need, you will notice that you have extra money. When you start getting rid of things that you don’t use, you will have more space. Your home will also look better and be easier to keep tidy. You will also have more time and less stress. In other words, getting rid of useless things will improve your quality of life. This can be counter-intuitive and that’s why it is best to experience it. If you do, you will learn that more things are not always better. Your improved quality of life from getting rid of things means that you had too many. When you finish decluttering, you will realize that you have everything you need.
Don’t compare yourself to others.
When you compare yourself to others, you turn your life into a competition. Your standards change from what you need to what keeps up with others. The desire to keep up with others can take away your satisfaction with what you have. Also, you cannot keep up with everyone. This is because someone will always have something that you don’t. So it’s best to focus on what fits you and your lifestyle.
Reduce time spent on social media.
Many people on social media compare their own lifestyles with those of others. But there are a lot of pretenders on social media. So, many people are comparing their own lifestyles with fantasy lifestyles. This unrealistic comparison makes people dissatisfied with their own lives. So it’s best to live and appreciate your own life on your own terms.
Avoid watching too much TV.
Many people featured on TV live lavish lifestyles. If you watch them often enough, it becomes very easy to compare their lifestyles with yours. If you do, then you can become very dissatisfied with your own life.
Another problem with TV is that there are too many ads. In most cases, ads convince people to buy things they don’t need. It’s their job. The ads do it by telling people that what they have is not enough. People don’t need ads to tell them what their needs are. For example, they don’t need ads to tell them to breathe air or drink water. The solution is to spend time away from the TV.
Unsubscribe from catalogs.
Catalogs are another major source of ads. So they bring some of the same problems as the ads on TV. Too many catalogs can also add clutter to your living space. But before you discard them, look through the ones that showcase interior decor. You will notice that they all have an absence of clutter. It’s because their interior designers know that too many things can ruin a decor. So, even the people trying to sell you stuff know that too much stuff is bad. This speaks volumes and should make you more satisfied with what you have.
Volunteer to work with a charity.
When you work with a charity, it gives you a chance to appreciate what you have. It will often give you a chance to see people who don’t have what they need. The needs they lack can include food, clean water, and shelter. Although it can be heartbreaking at times, it puts things into perspective. It gives you a chance to be satisfied with what you have.
In summary, you can take steps to be satisfied with what you have. One step is to know the limit of physical comfort. It is that once you have met your comfort needs, then extras will not add comfort. So after that point, you might as well focus on your emotional needs. When you do, you should include the need to recognize your good fortunes. This is because it is the most direct source of your happiness. It also helps to bring satisfaction with what you have.
It also helps to know when your possessions are good enough and the problems caused by too many things. The improved quality of life from decluttering also helps you to realize you have enough. You should limit social media, TV, and catalogs. Also, it is good to volunteer for a charity. It will help you to appreciate what you have.