Contentment Killed My Dreams

A few days ago, I was practicing gratitude as I spent a relaxing morning in my bedroom listening to the chirping of the birds outside. I was reflecting specifically on my contentment about where I am, what I do, whom I’m with, and who I am. Being thankful is a wonderful thing, it brings joy and feelings of happiness. It was going well as I was listing things that I am grateful for until I started to be thankful for accomplished goals and dreams. I stopped writing and I looked up; I couldn’t hear the birds anymore, only the thumping of my heart. At that moment I realized that if someone were to ask me what my dreams are, I wouldn’t be able to give them an answer. In my contentment, I had lost track of my dreams.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines contentment as “feeling or showing satisfaction with one’s possessions, status, or situation.” To be content was a constant fight for me. I am one to always want for more, to strive for more. I’m not only talking about physical possessions, but more about areas like excellence, influence, and responsibilities. To have finally reached a place where I could say I am content was a victory for me, itself a source of contentment. Does being content kill dreams then?

Culture dictates that we should have dreams and goals, that we should be working towards something. I’ve always believed in this dogma and as a fan of goal-setting and vision-casting, all these leadership seminar-type mumbo jumbo; I panicked when I realized that I don’t know my goals anymore. I even described the situation as a crisis. I admittedly tend to overreact and I am also prone to using hyperbolic language, but at least it lead me to action: I contacted a coach. Never having done anything like it before, I’m looking forward to discovering more about this process. Hopefully, it’ll bring some clarity along the way.

In the mean time, I’d love to know what you think. What are your thoughts on the interaction between contentment and having dreams and goals? I know in my head and in my heart that contentment does not kill dreams. As humans, I believe that we are made to be content and to dream at the same time. How do I know? That, I couldn’t tell you. That, I don’t know. Or maybe, quite probably, I’m looking at this all wrong.

It’s kind of ironic really, doesn’t my concern about this issue reflect a sort of discontentment about my current situation? Funny, my contentment led to discontentment.