HOW TO BE CONTENT WITH WHERE YOU ARE IN LIFE

Aubrey Barnes
Apr 21, 2017
3 min read

You're probably thinking that I'm crazy for keeping my 1970's Home Decor. I'm mean look at that thing! That mustard yellow stove (which has a matching sink) is the furthest thing from making a house a home, right? Well let me tell you this. It bakes cookies, Sunday roasts, birthday cakes. We have done dutch oven in it and homemade pizzas. It is an eye sore but when it comes to fulfilling its need and creating memories for my husband and I it does a wonderful job.

I have to come clean and say that I won't be keeping these posh home decor pieces forever. Let's be honest I will be getting rid of them as soon as possible. However, I can't get rid of them all at once and have the perfect dream home tomorrow. My husband and I are remodeling our home and doing everything ourselves. So the struggle between cash flow and our sanity in actually doing the work limits how quickly things get done. And I've learned that that's ok! I've learned to be happy embracing the beauty of our super outdated house and everything that comes with it. Including the reward. That ugly stove to me is a challenge. It is a constant reminder of the sacrifices we're making to meet our future goals.

These days it can be difficult at times to be content with what we have. We are constantly bombarded with so much crap that is twisted to make us think that we are missing out on things. And as humans we beg for more. Why do we beg for more you say? It's because we are designed to progress and we strive for that progression whether it points us in the right direction or not.

So how do we overcome the feelings of being left behind or missing out on things? How do we vanquish the need or lust for more in our lives. The truth is we don't. It's healthy to want to progress in the world financially, spiritually, and physically. The key is to make sure that we have a balance. We should have moderation in all things. It was well said by one of my favorite bands All Time Low, "Too much of anything is too much".

The thing that motivates me most and gets me through the tough days are the goals that my husband and I have made for ourselves. We have some pretty tough goals financially and in order to meet these goals we have to make some sacrifices. If we make small sacrifices now like dealing with ugly carpet and outdated appliances. And not caring what other people think about our date nights in or our old beat up car. We will have the financial freedom in the future to pay off our house when were 30, and retire early. I could write a whole other post about goals and how our goals are what keep us motivated but we'll save that for another time.

The point I'm trying to make here is that we have an end goal in mind. The need and desire to meet these goals and have more financial freedom is more powerful then the want for new kitchen cabinets. This is where that contentment comes in. We know that we can be happy throughout the process of meeting our goals. Life isn't about things. It's about working hard to progress and meet your goals. And also spending quality time with the ones you love. You can be happy with a lot less then you think.

So my challenge to you is to decide what you want to have the freedom to do in the future and figure out what kind of sacrifices you need to make now to be able to meet those goals. Forget about society when they tell you that you deserve that new car or a nice new house. Society is broke and has to pay for those problems in the future. You can be in control of your success. You can decide whats important to you and choose how you plan to get it.

I would love to get your feedback! Leave me a comment below and let me know what helps you stay on track meeting your goals.