Contentment is a Choice

Marriage and Relationship Monday

I was reading Leo Babauta's post on contentment  and it made me think of myself and my friends. This past weekend, my friend spent a good half-hour bitching to me about how she and her hubby are "hemorrhaging money." After listening to her I finally asked the question. "How much money does your hubby bring home every month?" She said over $10,000. I gulped and she immediately rushed to say, "But our mortgage payment is over $3k!" To which I pointed out that $3k is 30% of his take-home pay and right on track with what money pros say should be spent on housing. She and I did the very quick math and realized that she has over $1000 every week to spend after all the bills and the necessities have been paid for. One thousand dollars. $1k. Ten C notes. Every week. But she wouldn't shut up about how it's not enough.

Dear Reader,
Could you be content with $1,000 a week after your bills are paid? Why can't my friend? How much more does she want? What dollar amount will make her happy? The answers are, this is a person who will never be content or happy with what she has. Leo said it really well. Being content with where you are doesn't mean you have no ambition. And having ambition doesn't guarantee contentment.

So I choose. I choose to be content every day. To be content with the size of my body doesn't mean I don't wish to change it. To be content with my income doesn't mean I have no ambition to earn  more money. To be content in my marriage doesn't mean I'm unwilling to work to keep the spark (or to reignite if necessary). I choose to count the blessings rather than the pitfalls. To be content rather than a malcontent.

What do you choose?