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Thoughtful Thursday | Meditations on The Good Life

How to be content today

Published almost 2 years ago • 3 min read


This newsletter is a fortnightly meditation on living a more intentional, fulfilled life.
Every edition includes exclusive updates, intriguing ideas, and meaningful content recommendations.

Today: The dilemma of big changes and finding contentment in the present


The last picture I took before leaving.

Hey there!

Exactly one week ago, I finally moved back to Germany after spending seven months in Porto. It was my fourth time "slow traveling" -- living abroad for an extended period of time. So I thought I already knew the whole shebang of coming back home. Typically, it goes like this:

  • You're melancholic to leave a place but also happy to come back home.
  • You come back home and realize how much you've changed.
  • You enter a little crisis because, for the first time, you feel the stark contrast between "old you" and "new you."
  • You connect the dots of everything that happened abroad and see how much you've grown.
  • Crisis solved. Insights gained. Character strengthened.

But nope, not this time.

This time, I craved to get back home, but that was it. I didn't notice changes in character, didn't connect the dots, and don't even miss Porto. I simply feel the same. Neither better nor worse.

All this was a bitter reminder of the ancient saying:

"Wherever you go, there you are."

So today I want to talk about this quote - how it changed my life and how you can use it to find contentment in everyday life.


Idea: How to be content today

The core message of the quote boils down to this: Relocating your body doesn't relocate your mind. I love the way Seneca talks about this in Letters from a Stoic:

"Where you arrive does not matter so much as what sort of person you are when you arrive there. We ought not, therefore, to give over our hearts for good to any one part of the world. We should live with the conviction: 'I wasn't born for one particular corner: the whole world‟s my home country.'"

This goes much deeper than physical locations. It also applies to things like promotions, personal milestones, and any other long-awaited solution. No achievement can yield lasting contentment if you aren't satisfied with the way things are.

But it's so easy to forget, right?

Heck, I'm already starting to forge future plans again. It's as if the present experience is never enough and there always has to be "the next step." We can rarely say with confidence, "I'm happy with where I am right now and don't need to do something or be somewhere."

And yes, part of the reason is human nature - we're programmed to strive for change and improvement. But the other part? I think it's fear. We're afraid of what we might find once we hold still and turn inward. It's a fear of confronting ourselves because we're so used to running away.

Now, I'm not saying we should all stay put and be introspective for the rest of our lives. The point is to find a baseline of contentment right here, right now.

How?

Here's a fun little challenge: Every time you do a "utilitarian" task (that is, doing something to get somewhere, like driving to work, washing the dishes, brushing your teeth, etc.) don't wish it to be over. Instead, be there in the moment and try to discover something. It might be spotting a cute cafe when you stop at a red light. Listening to your thoughts as you scrub a pan. Or noticing the way the toothbrush massages your gum.

In other words, be mindful. That's how you become content today and, therefore, in the future. After all, the future is nothing more but the present with extra steps.


Content: Changing cities won't change your life

This video deeply resonated with me because it pinpointed all my thoughts on this topic.

But then again: Maybe everyone should make this experience of changing cities to internalize the lesson. After all, we mostly regret the things we didn't do and rarely the things we did.


Something to think about

I love coming up with personal definitions for success because the ones our culture provides are dumpster fire, lol.

Here's the one I'm currently pondering:

Success means living a life you wouldn't want to trade.

What's your definition of success?


A 30-second favor

If you enjoyed this edition, share it with others!

You can either forward this email or copy and paste this link: [ARCHIVE URL GOES HERE]

This won't take you longer than 30 seconds, but it'd mean the world to me. 🌍


Until next time,

Stephan


Bonus: friend links to newest blog posts

  1. What loneliness and hunger have in common
  2. The distracted person's guide to creating a to-do list for deep focus
  3. Why 20-somethings feel so isolated and lonely

Thoughtful Thursday | Meditations on The Good Life

by Stephan Joppich

I'm an engineer turned writer turned philosophy student. Join my weekly-ish treasure hunt for ideas that make life a little less sucky. No soulless blah. No advice to get up at 5 am. Just some succinct (and often unconventional) thoughts. New posts every Thursday - if my writer's block allows it.

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