On Contentment

I'm currently reading "Quiet" by Susan Cain, a book looking at the power and importance of introverts in a culture where extroverts are the favoured personality type. There was a section looking at how introverts tend to be more sensitive to big events and new experiences, explaining why they can happily have a quiet evening at home and not feel ‘under stimulated’ - as this book calls it.

When my friend Darcey casually stated that she feels completely content with staying at home with tea, the TV and a blanket it really struck me. Because although that doesn’t sound like a bad idea, it’s not something that would ever spring to mind. So what does make me feel really content? And when I say content I mean the I-wouldn’t-want-to-be-doing-anything-else-right-now kind of feeling. 

After much deliberation, I came up with two situations that really struck me as utter contentment: 

01  Being at a (rock) concert, seeing a band you lurve. That awesome feeling of being completely wrapped up in the loud music and the people on stage and the crowd around you. The most effective path to having some mind-numbing (and deafening) fun. 

02  Having a really deep conversation with someone. And I mean scraping the bottom, drowning in the deepness, deep. It’s the way you connect with someone on such a genuine and honest level . Thinking up new ideas, new ways of seeing things and sharing thoughts that you can explore. 

There were lots of things that came close to this list. I always think good people and good food is another one. But I think what I was aiming for here was situations where you are completely lost in the moment, not worrying about what you just said, or what you should eat, or what’s happening tomorrow. 

Perhaps this got you thinking? If so, I’d love to hear. 

Georgina