These days, it seems nobody is content in their situation. Everyone wants more, and when they get more it’s never enough. Being content is being grateful. We think of content people as not being ambitious; people drifting through life, accepting whatever comes their way and wanting nothing more. This is untrue. You can feel contentment while having a burning desire to make your life matter. Said another way, contentment means you appreciate what you have, but it doesn’t mean you plan to stay where you are. And if your best laid plans don’t work out the way you want, at your core you know everything is okay and you’ll live to fight another day.

Eckhardt Tolle writes about being in the conscious state of “not knowing.” Not knowing means we accept we don’t know anything more than the moment we have now, and when we are in this peaceful state we are able to get in touch with the great I AM. Our thoughts turn towards God and we quit trying to control everything, a natural tendency for many of us.

Complacency is different. Complacency is defined as “showing smug satisfaction with one’s achievements.” Until I read the definition for complacency, I thought it meant being lazy. Now I know it’s simply arrogance.

Is it possible for complacency and contentment to coexist? I don’t believe so, no more than it is possible for faith and fear to exist together. One thought dominates while the other one goes on vacation. When dialing in to Tolle’s state of not knowing, we live on purpose, in the moment and this allows us to be guided by the Spirit. Giving up control to a Higher Power isn’t scary or reckless. Quite the contrary. When we cede control and power, we gain wisdom and purpose.

Take a moment to practice gratitude. Write down what you are grateful for, even if it’s something you take for granted like fresh air to breathe. Gratitude is powerful, and it humbles us. Gratitude keeps us living in the moment rather than living in the past or too far in the future.