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The Essence of Contentment: How Acceptance Promotes Happiness

What Is Contentment?

Contentment means to be happy with what you have, who you are, and where you are. It is respecting the reality of the present. It is appreciating what you do have and where you are in life. Contentment does not mean the absence of desire; it just means you are satisfied with your present, and you trust that the turns your life takes will be for the best.

The Absence of Contentment

Many people today think life is a race where you must be the best at everything. We might want a fancier car, a bigger house, a better-earning job, or more money. The moment we achieve one thing, the race for the next thing starts. Rarely do many individuals spare a minute to just sit back, relax, and be grateful for all they have achieved. Instead of looking back at the distance they have covered, they stretch themselves to cover the distance that remains. And in some cases, this is when ambition becomes greed.

Rarely do many individuals spare a minute to just sit back, relax, and be grateful for all they have achieved.

There is often a fine line between ambition and greed. People may think that when they have achieved all they need for their dream lifestyle, they will be satisfied with what they have—but this is rarely the case. Even after you have ticked off all the achievements from your list, you still don’t feel at ease. There may remain an uneasy feeling that something is still missing. Do you know what that missing thing is? It’s contentment.

Reach out to one of our therapists near Charlotte, NC , or find a therapist closer to you.

The Importance of Contentment

It’s almost impossible to stress enough how important it is to be content. The importance of contentment is outlined below. Some benefits of contentment include:

Peace of mind

Contentment brings peace of mind and positivity that can facilitate growth and self-improvement. This does not mean you can’t have dreams and aspirations. You can accept the present and still wish for a better future. Contentment only means to be at peace with the present, not complacent.

If you are not at peace with what you have achieved at your current point in life, it can be more difficult be motivated to work toward a better future. If you want peace of mind and a positive attitude, contentment is what you should practice.

Contentment promotes happiness. When you are content with the present, you are letting go of sometimes painful cravings for what you can’t have. As a result, acceptance settles in. Therefore, when you accept your situation, you are allowing yourself to be happy. Being grateful for everything you do have instead of spending most of your time thinking about what you can’t have could make life a lot more beautiful.

Stronger relationships

When you allow yourself to be content, you are also telling yourself to accept others as they are. The benefits of contentment are not limited to your own well-being; they can also encompass relationships . (This does not extend to abusive relationships, however.)

Accepting others, including their flaws, and being content with the present may fuel feelings of happiness and prosperity in relationships, making them stronger. It can enrich relationships with trust and appreciation as well as promote healing and growth.

Distinguishing wants and needs

Contentment can help you distinguish between wants and needs. When you are content, you may not desire for anything more than what you need. The abundance of the present is enough to lead a happy and healthy life. Contentment often leads to the realization that joy doesn’t come from material things. Instead, joy comes from deep within.

When you are able to distinguish your wants from your needs, you stop overburdening yourself. You relieve yourself from the stress of wanting more and more. Contentment promotes simplicity. It teaches you to be happy with what you have, whether little or abundant.

Instead of wanting your possessions to grow, you start working on personal growth. Because at the end of the day, inner peace fueled by contentment may matter more than the car you drive or even the house you live in.

If you wish to feel the essence of contentment, it’s important to practice gratitude , be aware of the fact that nothing is permanent, understand that material things do not often promote long-term happiness, and realize that life is not a race or competition: it is about self-sustenance. The more thankful you are in the present, the happier you may be.

Sometimes a mental health condition can make it more difficult to feel a sense of contentment or inner peace. When this is the case, therapy or counseling could help. Reach out to a licensed and caring professional today.

© Copyright 2019 GoodTherapy.org. All rights reserved. Permission to publish granted by Jacqueline Pearce, MSEd, LMHC

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• 22 comments

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Thank you, This really helped me a lot

It really helped me

WOW! Never could have said it better. Am on track. Have been posting about contentment and gratitude on my status recently.

I wont lie I learnt a lot from this from now on I will be content with what i have

I learned a lot. Thank you! I will definitely share this.

really blessed by this expressions,will that other be blessed too.

Good take on this one, what content can do. Peace of mind and happiness. Thank you

A good article . Really helpful. Thanks for sharing such nice words full of content.

Actually I used to have stress in my life before but when I come across this, I really become the most happier of all. Thanks to you Sirs, with this wonderful article.

wonderful write-up

Simple succinct thank you

Sixtus light

So great, wonderful explanation

Thank you so much! I really appreciate and I learnt a lot from this, Indeed contentment leads to happiness.

I have read through your article about contentment and found it very useful for our growing youth to know. I’m grateful for the write up.

This article is so important it makes me feel righaway more wiser about life, thanks for your contribution.

Contentment!!! Wanting nothing except happiness, love for family, kids, grandkids and seeing that they grow and glow. Blessed are the peacemakers!!

Thank you for this article, I really learned a lot from it❤️

This content is a healing to me. I sincerely appreciate. Thank you and God bless you.

This really helped my project!🙏

So helpful 🙏😍

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Notice to users

The Incredible Power of Contentment

“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.” – Cicero

By Leo Babauta

While many readers have noted my efforts and articles on self-improvement, what I haven’t stressed as much is the beauty of becoming content with what you have and who you already are.

I’m definitely a goal-oriented person — I always have my eye on a goal, whether that’s writing a book, running a marathon, improving my blog, waking early, losing weight, or one of a dozen other goals I’ve had (and usually achieved) in the last couple of years. And once I’ve achieved a goal, I begin looking for another: now that I finished my second marathon, I’m already looking for a third.

So isn’t that a contradiction? Doesn’t that seem to indicate that I’m not content with my life? Not at all. I’m extremely content with my life, with what I have, and with who I am. I have accepted that I am the type of person who will always be striving for a goal, the type of person who enjoys a challenge, and who enjoys the journey. It’s not the goal that matters to me — it’s the journey to get there that is so fun. And I’m content with being that type of person.

So contentment isn’t a matter with being content with your situation in life and never trying to improve it. It’s a matter of being content with what you have — but realizing that as humans, we will always try to improve, no matter how happy we are. If we don’t, we have given up on life.

Today I’d like to discuss contentment, and the amazing things it can do in all aspects of our lives. And then we’ll look at a few tips for getting to contentment.

“Happiness is self-contentedness.” – Aristotle

My Life I’m going to use my life as an example here, only because I’m more intimately familiar with it than any other life. Looking back, I wasn’t always content. There have been times in my life when I wasn’t happy, when things seemed dismal, when I wish I had more. I wasn’t content with the way things were, and now I know that my outlook on life was a major contributor to my unhappiness.

We choose whether we are happy or unhappy . Read that sentence again if it’s not already something you consciously practice in your daily life. If you’re unhappy with your life right now, I will venture to guess that it’s because you’ve chosen to be unhappy. That sounds harsh, but in my experience it’s completely true. Edit based on reader comments : I cannot speak to whether this concept of happiness applies to everyone — especially clinically depressed or those with similar disorders, people who are starving or homeless, people who have undergone massive tragedies or abuse, or others in such circumstances. However, for most readers, I believe the principles will apply.

You might say, “But my life is crap! Of course I’m going to be unhappy!” And I hear you: I’ve had those times when my job wasn’t going well, when my relationships weren’t going well, when my finances were very bad, when I was overweight, when my life was a mess.

But listen to this: I’ve had those conditions at several points in my life. And sometimes, I was unhappy in those kinds of conditions. And others, I was happy and content. So I’ve come to the conclusion — and it’s proven true time and again — that it’s not the conditions that make me unhappy, but my choice of thoughts, of attitude, of behavior.

What behaviors and thoughts and attitudes were different between my times of unhappiness and happiness? When I was unhappy, I focused on all the bad things in my life. Not only that, but I continually thought about how bad they were, and would complain, and would ask, “Why me?” I would let myself sink into inaction and eventually depression. I would be grumpy and cause those around me to be unhappy. That, in turn, only made the situation worse. It certainly didn’t help my job.

Let’s look at the times of happiness, in contrast: I focused instead on the good things in my life. Because while I had problems at my job and with my relationships and with my finances and health and all that … there were still good things. At least I had a job! At least I had someone who loved me! At least I wasn’t sick! At least I wasn’t bankrupt and homeless! I counted, instead, my blessings. I do this when things aren’t looking so good, and it turns me around.

I had a wife and beautiful children. I had the power to change my job. To simplify my life. To get out of debt. I had my health, even if I was overweight. I lived on a beautiful island with gorgeous beaches and wildlife and greenery. I had family around me who loved me. I had the power of my words, and my books that I loved reading. I had life!

And this outlook on life helped me to be happier. It improved my relationship, because I tried to appreciate my wife. It improved everything around me, in short — and we’ll take a closer look at those things next.

I was happy, despite my conditions, because I chose to be happy. I found contentment in what I already had, instead of wishing I had something else, instead of being discontented with what I had. Contentment not only made me happy, but it transformed my life in many ways. Here’s how.

Happiness This is perhaps the most obvious area affected on this list, because many people see “contentedness” and “happiness” as one and the same. In many ways, they are, but it’s really a matter of focus. When you’re happy, it’s really a state of being, influenced by a number of factors, including contentedness.

Contentedness, on the other hand, is a matter of being satisfied with what you have. It focuses on what you have and don’t have instead of just being a state of being. It influences happiness. However, you can choose to be content, just as you can choose to be happy, and if you choose to be content, you will be happy.

There are many ways to become happy — you can become happy by doing certain things (running, getting into Flow, sex), you can become happy because you are loved or in love, you can become happy because you just won a competition or a million dollars. Being content is just one way to be happy, but it’s a great way.

Simplicity Simplicity, of course, means many things to many people, but for me contentedness is at the core of simplicity. It’s about being content with less, with a simpler life, rather than always wanting more, always acquiring more, and never being content.

Simplicity means examining why you want more, and solving that issue at its root. At the root of wanting more is not being content with what you have. Once you’ve learned to be content, you don’t need more. You can stop acquiring, and start enjoying.

Now, I won’t claim to never want stuff. I wanted a Macbook Air and I got it. It’s helping me to write this post and this book right now. (However, in my defense, I waited more than a month before buying it to make sure I needed it.) But while I am not immune to wants, I have learned to catch myself now and then, and to examine why I want something. And then I try to tell myself that I already have everything I could possibly want and need. And that contentedness leads to simplicity.

Finances Really this is the same as simplicity, but I wanted to show it from a financial angle. The reason we get into financial trouble, oftentimes, is that we buy more than we can afford. And the root of that buying is buying things we want instead of only things we need, and the root of that is not being content with what we already have.

Finding contentment with the stuff you have and with a simpler life can lead to buying less, to buying things we need instead of want, and to only spending what we can afford. I know this first-hand, as uncontrolled spending led to debt for me, and contentedness led to me getting out of debt.

Relationships Many times it seems that we’re never satisfied with our significant others. They don’t behave how we want them to. That’s often at the root of relationship problems, as many-headed as those problems may seem.

Instead, learn to be content with the person you love, just as they are. This isn’t always easy, as we are usually trained (by our well-intentioned but never-satisfied parents, and others around us) to do just the opposite — to try to change people. However, you will only find trouble if you try to change your significant other. You might get them to change their behavior (but most often not), but they will be unhappy, and in turn the relationship will suffer.

I will admit to having a problem with this at times, but when this happens, I try to remind myself to love my partner as she is, for who she is. She is a beautiful person, just as she is now, and there is absolutely no need to change her. This has always led to a better relationship for me.

Kids As mentioned above, parents are often not satisfied with their children. They need to be cleaner, better behaved, better in school, more organized and studious, more courteous and kind and compassionate, better groomed and better at sports. Well, that leads to the relationship problems mentioned above, later in the kids’ lives, as they have learned to never be satisfied with others and to try to change them.

It also leads to inferiority complexes in our children, in unhappiness, and in bad relationships with them. Instead, we should learn to love our children unconditionally, to accept them for the people they are, and to let them know this through not only our words but our actions.

Accept children for who they are, and they will be happier, and so will you.

Jobs Should we be content with our jobs? Well, I won’t say that you should stick with a dead-end job and a boss that treats you like dirt. If you’re unhappy with your job, change it. That’s been my approach and it’s worked for me.

However, I have learned that being a content person in other areas of my life, and being content with my life in general, has generally helped me at any job. Discontented people tend to be complainers, or grumpy, or negative. That leads to problems at the job. People who are content tend not to complain and tend to have a more positive attitude, and in my experience that almost always leads to more opportunities, both within the job (promotions, new projects, etc.) and outside the job (job offers, networking, etc.).

Social change I’ve heard some writers say that people like me, who preach happiness and contentedness and a positive outlook on life, are teaching people to accept social injustice and not strive for change. I disagree completely, and as someone who would like a freer society than the one in which we currently live, I have given this much thought.

My favorite social disrupter, Gandhi, had two seemingly contradictory quotes on the subject of contentedness. The first: “ Man’s happiness really lies in contentment. ” And the second: “ Healthy discontent is the prelude to progress. ”

This might seem confusing until you look at how Gandhi brought about change. He was discontent with the system of oppression in his country, so he sought to change it. However, he was content as a person, with who he was and what he had in his personal life. This inner content allowed him to have the inner power to face (and eventually beat) the very powerful authorities in his country at the time. He could face them because nothing they could do to him could take away his happiness. They could take away all his possessions, throw him in prison, take away even food, and he was content.

He taught his fellow countrymen the same lesson, to make the best of what they had in India (making their own simple clothing, making their own food) instead of wanting the commercial goods from foreign countries. Being content with such simplicity would give them the independence from foreign commercial powers, and eventually (as they are part of the same organism) foreign political powers.

So social change can still happen if you are content with yourself, with your life, but not content with the system of oppression around you. This system, in my opinion, is responsible for holding us down, for the deaths of millions of people in Third World countries … but it isn’t until we learn to be content with what we have, and free ourselves of our dependence on commercial goods, that we will be able to change the system for good.

Getting to Contentment So if contentedness is so great, how do you get there? That’s not always easy, but here are some things that have worked for me:

• Count your blessings . I mentioned this above, and in a previous post, but for me it’s the best way to get to contentment. When you find yourself unhappy with something, or with what you don’t have, take a moment to count all the good things in your life. And I would bet there are many. It puts the focus on what you do have rather than what you don’t.
• Stop, and remind yourself . When you find yourself unhappy with someone, or trying to change them, stop yourself. Take a deep breath, and remind yourself that you should try to be happy with that person for who he/she is. Take a moment to think about the good things about that person, the reasons you love that person. Then accept their faults as part of their entire package.
• Stop, and consider why you want something . When you feel the urge to buy something, think about whether it’s a need or a want. If it’s a want, take a pause. It’s good to wait 30 days — keep a 30-day list … when you want something, put it on the list with the date, and if you still want it in 30 days, you can buy it). Consider why you want something. Are you not content with what you already have? Why not?
• Take time to appreciate your life ! I like to reflect on my life, and all the good things in it, on a regular basis. I do this when I run, or when I watch the sunset or sunrise, or when I’m out in nature. Another great method is a morning gratitude session — think of all the things and people you’re thankful for, and thank them silently.
• Show people you appreciate them . It’s good to appreciate people, but it’s even better to show them. Give them a hug, smile, spend time with them, thank them out loud, thank them publicly.
• Breathe, and smile . Once again, advice from one of my favorite monks, but it works in this context. Sometimes when we take the time to breathe, and smile, it can change our outlook on life.
• Learn to enjoy the simple things . Instead of wanting to buy expensive things, and spend money on doing things like eating out or entertainment, learn to enjoy stuff that’s free. Conversations and walks with other people. Spending time outdoors. Watching a DVD or playing board games. Going to the beach. Playing sports. Running. These things don’t cost much, and they are awesome.

“God’s gifts put man’s best dreams to shame.” – Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Posted: 04.02.2008

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Happiness at Work with Contentment: Enriching Workplace Well-Being Through Ancient Wisdom

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• First Online: 09 January 2021
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• Nidhi Kaushal 2  

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Happiness is a contented state of emotions in life, and the perception of contentment exhibits inner peace among human beings. Contentment has associated with ecstasy, and ancient scholars have elaborated this powerful potential in their works related to the study of human attributes. This virtue has developed through constant practice and meditation and plays a significant role in controlling the senses. It comes from the churning of the self, which is called svāydhyāya, which has a vital aspect in the fields of psychology and self-management. The purpose of this chapter is to present the framework of happiness (Ānanda), which has based on the theoretical aspect of contentment, given in eminent ancient Indian texts such as Vedas, Upanishads, and Yoga Sutras of Patañjali, and described a balanced path to happiness that indicates “contentment” (santosha) as a primary originator of happiness. These texts also advocate the practice of yamas and niyamas for developing and maintaining happiness and well-being at work. Despite plentiful literature available on the concept of happiness, there remains a new prospect of research in the field of happiness along with contentment, and this chapter not only offers insights on realizing integrated well-being, happiness, and contentment ethically but also prolongs a new outlook in the realm of happiness literature, which can enhance and substantiate the “well-being” concepts of modern times.

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Kaushal, N. (2021). Happiness at Work with Contentment: Enriching Workplace Well-Being Through Ancient Wisdom. In: Dhiman, S.K. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Workplace Well-Being. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30025-8_82

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Finding Success Starts with Finding Your Purpose

• John Coleman

It’s never too early — or too late — to ask the big questions.

Many people work their whole lives to achieve material success only to find their happiness and sense of purpose wanting when that success comes. They often spend their later years looking for purpose in their lives in order to feel a sense of meaning. Searching for meaning late in your life is a missed opportunity. Success without significance — purpose, service, and meaningful relationships — is not really success at all. It’s important to properly reflect on how you can live a life imbued intensely not just with the superficial trappings of “success” but with deep purpose and joy in all we do — starting now. Ask yourself:  What is the core purpose of my work and the ways in which it makes the world better? Who are the key relationships in my life, and how can I deepen them? What more can I do at work, at home, and in my community to serve others? How am I becoming better each day?

In 1995, Bob Buford wrote the bestselling book Halftime , which popularized the concept of “moving from success to significance” in the second half of life. Buford realized that many businesspeople work their whole lives to achieve material success only to find their happiness and sense of purpose wanting when that success comes. And he rightly encouraged those people to seek out meaning and impact in their later years.

• JC John Coleman is the author of the HBR Guide to Crafting Your Purpose . Subscribe to his free newsletter, On Purpose , or contact him at johnwilliamcoleman.com . johnwcoleman

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Beyond happiness: Learn how to be content with life

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What does it mean to be content?

The benefits of being content, how to achieve contentment, is there a difference between happiness and contentment, filling your life with contentment.

Spending a day drinking coffee and watching your favorite movie with your closest friends might make you happy. 

But a good day doesn’t necessarily mean a good life. And, while you might be an expert at focusing on the positives, you might still be stagnant. 

Being honest about this is tough, but are you actually content with your life? Do you love what you do ? Are your actions meaningful? 

If you hesitated when answering these questions, it might be time to learn how to be content with life. It's something everyone could benefit from learning. Gallup found that 69% of Americans were content with the overall quality of their lives in 2022 — down from 84% in 2020. 

Learning how to be content demands you to dig deep and take a look at all aspects of your life to make meaningful changes. This article teaches you how to learn to be content, the benefits of being content, and the differences between happiness and contentment. 

Being content with your life means that you're satisfied with what you have and who you are. Instead of comparing yourself to others or wishing you had a different life, you feel you’re living a life you can stand behind. You accept yourself as you are today, and you value all the opportunities and experiences you’ve had. 

Rather than wish that things could be different or resent how your life is going, being content with your life means you:

Are filled with inner peace

Show love and gratitude to people around you 

Feel you’ve found your purpose  

Have grown across the stages of life , along with any adversity you’ve overcome  

View your mistakes as learning opportunities 

For instance, maybe you had a career in marketing for a decade before recognizing that marketing wasn’t meaningful to you. After changing careers to pursue your passion for environmental science, you live more purposefully. But you reflect on your past experiences with gratitude because they brought you to where you are today.

What makes a meaningful life to you could be the complete opposite for someone else. Your contentment relies on your specific needs, interests, values, and goals. And you don't need to prove your contentment to anyone else. You don't have to post about it on social media for it to be real. 

The benefits of being content extend beyond having a smile on your face. Being content fills you with positive emotions, helps your self-esteem, and furthers your well-being. 

Here are three reasons why contentment is important:

It fosters healthier, stronger relationships: When you're content, you have greater self-awareness and better understand how to communicate your emotions and thoughts. This improves your relationships because you know how to listen to others , navigate conflict, and show your appreciation. 

You experience less stress: Stress is a key predictor of life satisfaction . The less stress you have, the greater your contentment and well-being. Being content shows you what's meaningful to you, which includes your health. That way, your health can become your top priority, and it’s easier to remain at peace and experience less worry or stress. 

You have better sleep hygiene: When you're satisfied with your life, it’s easier to get a good night’s sleep . Research has found that good sleep hygiene correlates with sustained attention, clear thinking, and emotional regulation . Sleep is when your body recharges and works to fight illnesses, so your physical health is better because of how you sleep.

Living a contented life isn’t a one-time achievement. It’s something to incorporate into your daily life. You won’t create a meaningful life by putting in work for several weeks. Contentment demands sustained effort, including strategies and habits that’ll become part of your routine. After a while, they might become second nature. 

Here are six strategies to help you learn how to be content in life:

1. Record and share the things you’re grateful for

Practicing gratitude helps you focus more on your positive emotions and reminds you of what’s meaningful in your life. One way to be more grateful is to start journaling , expressing and recording your thoughts in whatever style or voice you want. 

While journaling is often private, you could also share what you’re grateful for with friends or loved ones. Studies have found that sharing positive experiences with others amplifies positive emotions and leads to greater life satisfaction. It highlights what’s meaningful in your life and how enjoying it makes you feel.

2. Stay true to yourself

Everyone finds different things meaningful or purposeful. That’s why when you’re living a contented life, you remain your authentic self . Why try to be someone you aren’t? Deepen your self-knowledge and understand what you love in life to stay focused on what’s valuable to you.

3. Keep your loved ones close

Keeping your friends and loved ones close improves your social health and ability to deal with life’s challenges. Research shows that your support system helps you problem-solve, manage stress, and improve your self-esteem . Your people support you through your highs and lows. Even if you live far away from your loved ones, make an effort to talk to them regularly over the phone, via video calls, or instant messaging. 

4. Act on your goals

Your goals reflect your dreams and ambitions in life. They contribute to a more meaningful life — one where you feel satisfied with your accomplishments. Try using the SMART goal-setting method to help you set purposeful goals that align with your values. If you’re struggling with life planning , try setting short-term goals to boost your confidence and keep a realistic to-do list. 

5. Take care of your health

Taking care of your physical and mental health is about more than just feeling good for a day. You aren’t set up for a long, peaceful future without a healthy mind and body. Start thinking of mindfulness practices that’ll help your mental health, like meditation and yoga, to keep your stress low and your mood up. For your physical health, think of ways to move your body that feel good and eat foods that fuel you.

6. Let go of the past

Dwelling on your past won’t help you live in the present . But letting go of the past lets you focus on the present and future. Pay attention to what you have to appreciate. It’s not an easy thing to do, but you can let go of the past in small ways. You might do this by forgiving yourself for mistakes or acknowledging that you have lots of life ahead of you to experience.

Even happy people may wonder, “Why am I not content?”

Happiness and contentment are often used interchangeably, but they’re different states of being. While happiness is a fleeting moment, contentment is a mindset you carry everywhere. 

Learning about more differences will help you learn how to be content in life. Here are a few ways in which contentment and happiness are different:

Happiness is influenced by external factors, whereas contentment is influenced by both external and internal factors

Happiness sticks around for a short-term basis, whereas contentment is more long-term

Happiness is an emotion, but contentment is an attitude and state of mind

Happiness is a reaction, whereas contentment is a lasting calmness that stays with you

Discovering how to be content with life may feel daunting. You have to think about what’s meaningful to you and how you want to follow your purpose. Plus, you need to accept who you are as you are rather than try to change yourself. 

Most notably, when you learn how to practice contentment, you learn that being happy for a day isn’t enough. You want to be content with your life as a whole and develop an attitude that stays with you long into the future.

You won’t wake up tomorrow and be content. It takes effort, self-awareness , and dedication. It’s your journey to finding inner peace, so enjoy it. Even though it takes time and demands you to look within, contentment is worth every ounce of effort you put in.

Understand Yourself Better:

Big 5 Personality Test

Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

Understanding health and well-being & 10 ways to improve both

What is mental well-being 7 ways to improve your mental health, the path to self-acceptance, paved through daily practice, somatic coaching: what is it and how does it work, how to stay socially connected: your life depends on it, the answer is within: only you know how to make life meaningful, life skills for adults: 5 types to help you settle into adulthood, 8 reasons why patience in life matters, how to organize your life (and keep it that way), what is gratitude 12 tips for how to start a gratitude practice, happy life or a meaningful life: can you have both, learn how to let go of resentment to find inner peace, how to find happiness throughout your life: 6 tips, how to enjoy life, explained, how to develop an abundance mindset and break free from scarcity, is happiness the key to success, stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research..

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Happiness: is feeling content more important than purpose and goals?

Consultant and Senior Lecturer in Old Age Psychiatry, King's College London

Disclosure statement

Rafael Euba does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

King's College London provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK.

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There is much written about finding one’s life purpose and reaching self actualisation, but do we really need to have one? My partner is happy pottering around the house with his family around him, watching TV, reading the news, working in his unskilled job without responsibility, supporting his football team. Meanwhile, I am frustratingly “growing and developing”, learning, wondering what it is all about – yet without much actually changing in my life. Are drifting and feeling contented in life more important than having a “life purpose” and goals? Brenda, Blackpool

Questions about happiness, purpose and goals remind me of Don Quixote , the dreaming knight in Cervantes’ novel of the same name, and Sancho Panza, his earthy page. Indeed, literature often contains characters and themes that reflect telling universal truths about human existence, experience – and psychology.

As the novel progresses, we realise that both characters are equally sophisticated intellectually. But while Don Quixote’s goals are utopian, romantic and clearly unobtainable, Sancho is satisfied with feeling safe and eating bread and cheese – accompanied by a little wine, of course – after each of their frustrated misadventures.

I’m a psychiatrist and research on personality shows that a more open and inquisitive personality will always want to seek new experiences and sensations . This is more exciting, but also less comfortable, than rejecting what feels strange or unfamiliar.

This article is part of Life’s Big Questions The Conversation’s new series, co-published with BBC Future, seeks to answer our readers’ nagging questions about life, love, death and the universe. We work with professional researchers who have dedicated their lives to uncovering new perspectives on the questions that shape our lives.

Don Quixote’s sensation-seeking and restless personality, as well as his lofty ideals, are the drivers of his misguided adventures. Unable to find excitement in the comfortable but mundane daily life of a landed country gentleman, he sets out to right all the wrongs in the world in the most chivalrous and valiant manner he can imagine. His ambitious goals are unobtainable, though, and so he remains chronically dissatisfied.

In contrast, Sancho’s goals (cheese and wine) are simple, and they are also reliable and immediately achievable. Sancho will inevitably have some difficult emotions, like every other human, that will prevent him from being consistently happy. But he will be less inclined to express his occasional periods of distress in complex existential terms – and they are unlikely to nag and torture him in the same way.

On one level, then, Sancho’s personality seems better suited than Don Quixote’s for achieving a satisfactory level of psychological wellbeing. But we need to consider the fact that Quixote’s tortured loftiness will also afford him occasional moments of ecstasy that Sancho will never experience. Quixote will sample all the many wondrous highs – and lows – of existence.

Choleric Quixote

Quixote has a type of personality that Galen , the Greek physician of classical times, would have labelled as “choleric”: passionate, charismatic, impulsive and sensation seeking. He also has an extremely rich, but equally unstable, inner life, which produces copious amounts of fantasy and emotion.

Soon after the second world war, a London-based psychologist called Hans Eysenck developed another personality theory that included the dimensions of extroversion and neuroticism . Quixote is high in extroversion (he engages constantly with the external world) and high in neuroticism (his emotional life is unstable and intense), a combination that would be the equivalent of Galen’s choleric personality.

Sancho is, of course, the exact opposite. He could be described as “phlegmatic” in Galen’s classification: he is generally introverted, and being perfectly steady in emotional terms, he would certainly score very low on neuroticism. He does not view the world through the filter of a rich but volatile inner life, and instead sees ordinary windmills where Quixote sees formidable giants.

Personality types have been found to be predictors of psychological wellbeing in a way that could be considered relatively intuitive. Essentially, there is a positive correlation between happiness and extroversion and a negative one between happiness and neuroticism . Quixote is more neurotic than Sancho, but he is also more extroverted. The two will find and experience moments of happiness in different ways.

On one level, what we need to be happy is a stable (low neuroticism) and outgoing (extrovert) character. But that’s not the whole story. Those of us who see ourselves as a little more neurotic than we would ideally like – and perhaps not quite as sociable as some others – can find comfort in the knowledge that a busy and lively inner life, coupled with an inquisitive nature, can be associated with certain types of creativity .

The idea of happiness as a state of placidity and serenity, facilitated by a stable and untroubled psychological makeup, is persuasive. But it ignores perhaps the upper and more intense limits of human experience – and these have a power all their own. Cervantes novel, after all, is called “Don Quixote”, not “Sancho Panza”.

Self-actualisation

You also mention “self-actualisation” in your question. When Abraham Maslow , the celebrated American psychologist, placed self-actualisation at the top of his hierarchy of human needs , he thought of it as a positive drive for developing one’s personal potential. Your own personal potential, Brenda, will be different to that of your partner.

Maslow thought that more basic needs had to be satisfied before moving up to the next level – water and food before safety, then love, self-esteem and only then self-actualisation. But subsequent research shows that humans don’t always do this in the anticipated order and that satisfying different levels of need either simultaneously, or in the “wrong order”, doesn’t seem to affect wellbeing significantly . This explains how those living in poor countries can also satisfy their psychological needs even when the fulfilment of more basic needs is uncertain.

In any case, having a set of needs – hierarchical or not – inevitably puts us in a needy position, and the relationship between striving to better ourselves and happiness is not a simple one. Maslow himself struggled in his personal life with issues such as racism (he was Jewish) and an awful relationship with his mother, whom he hated.

Pain and pleasure

Research shows that factors such as poverty , pain and loneliness make us unhappy, and it is equally clear that pleasures of any kind contribute towards our sense of wellbeing.

The 19th-century British thinker John Stuart Mill postulated in simple terms that happiness is “intended pleasure, and the absence of pain” while unhappiness is “pain, and the privation of pleasure” .

Like Maslow and his hierarchy of needs, Mill also saw a similar hierarchy in pleasure, with the physiological at the bottom and the spiritual at the top. He also advised against too much introspection in matters of happiness, saying:

Ask yourself if you are happy and you cease to be so.

I suspect you ask yourself this question at times, Brenda. And even though Mill saw happiness as being predicated by pleasure and pain, he also hinted that being human, with all that this implies, may bring a dissatisfaction that would be preferable to mere contentment.

Don Quixote is a dissatisfied man and his ambitions to achieve his glorious goals are always frustrated. He has, however, certain characteristics that have been found to be associated with happiness: an optimistic attributional style and an internal “locus” (place) of control.

Don Quixote’s “internal locus of control” means that he feels in control of his destiny (despite all the evidence to the contrary). Control resides within him. His “optimistic attributional style”, meanwhile, refers to the fact that he always ascribes his failures to transient external forces, rather than to permanent internal issues.

Sancho, on the other hand, has a reactive attitude to life. He doesn’t have any fantasies about being in control of his destiny, which he believes is in the lap of the gods. “The lucky man has nothing to worry about,” he says.

So, in this respect at least, Don Quixote, driving his own fortune and making his own luck, is probably happier in his quest, however frustrating, than Sancho is in his passive contentment.

Contentment versus happiness

The difference between contentment and happiness, or to be more precise, the incompatibility that exists between a state of permanent contentment and being human, has also been explored in modern novels, written centuries after Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote, such as The Time Machine by HG Wells or Brave New World by Aldous Huxley .

Some of the characters in these future dystopias, where pain and suffering have been eradicated, are perfectly placid, even content. But their insipid pseudo-happiness, devoid of choice or intense emotion, is less desirable than our own imperfect emotional tribulations – at least according to the authors.

Indeed, our ability to feel happy is affected by a variety of personality factors and temperamental attitudes, not by just one single dimension of placidity versus psychological restlessness, or even optimism versus pessimism.

But does it matter anyway? Whether we are “half-empty” or “half-full” personalities, none of us is designed to be happy – only, ultimately, to survive and reproduce. Consequently, we will all battle with frequent unpleasant emotions, whatever our temperament.

It is good, Brenda, that you haven’t given up your efforts to grow as a person and that you remain hungry for knowledge. Even if I told you that there is a better strategy for happiness, that you should be content with watching television and little else, I am pretty certain you wouldn’t want that.

You need to continue being who you are, even if being who you are doesn’t transport you to a state of sustained and uninterrupted psychological bliss. Our nature is to chase the teasing and elusive butterfly of happiness, not always to capture it. Happiness can’t be bottled and bought and sold.

It can, however, be a journey – and this never-ending quest includes you, Brenda, as well as your partner. And perhaps we can all find comfort in the knowledge that our nagging dissatisfaction is a key part of what makes us human.

To get all of life’s big answers, join the hundreds of thousands of people who value evidence-based news by subscribing to our newsletter . You can send us your big questions by email at [email protected] and we’ll try to get a researcher or expert on the case.

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Death: can our final moment be euphoric?

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Love: is it just a fleeting high fuelled by brain chemicals?

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Is Contentment an Underrated Goal in Life?

Many of us seek happiness as a guiding aim in our lives. But what about being content? Are feelings of contentment just a lesser, diluted form of happiness—or something distinct and valuable to pursue on their own?

A recent study aimed to find out.

In the study, emotion researchers first tried to figure out the unique qualities of feeling contentment. To do that, they surveyed different groups of American people, asking them to describe contentment in comparison to other emotions, in general, and positive emotions, specifically.

For example, in one case, participants were asked to write short stories about a time when they felt contentment, happiness, joy, or relief. These stories were later edited to remove specific references to the emotions and then analyzed by people who didn’t know about the experiment, to see how contentment stacked up to the other feelings.

What the researchers found is that contentment is distinct from other emotions in certain ways. Generally, content people feel less “activated” (meaning, calmer rather than excited), are more present-tense-oriented, and have less desire to acquire things, in comparison to people feeling other emotions. For researcher Yang Bai, this indicates that contentment is a unique, positive emotion—not just a lesser form of happiness.

“We are proving that contentment is a positive emotion, and it’s different from prototypical positive emotions, like happiness and joy,” she says. “We think it’s important [to recognize this], because low-activation emotions can also be positive.”

To understand how being content might relate to someone’s well-being, Bai and her team asked another group of participants to rate their levels of various emotions, their overall life satisfaction, and their psychological well-being, measured in terms of their autonomy, personal growth, self-acceptance, positive relationships, purpose in life, and environmental mastery (their ability to use resources around them wisely). They found that people who were more content were also more satisfied with life, more self-accepting, and more purposeful, and had more positive relationships and environmental mastery—even after accounting for their levels of other positive emotions.

To Bai, this suggests that contentment contributes to well-being above and beyond other positive emotions.

“A lot of positive emotions have their unique impact on well-being. But there’s a unique role that contentment is playing here,” says Bai.

What’s special about contentment?

What could explain the unique experience of contentment? To figure that out, Bai and her team tried another experiment.

Three hundred young adults in the U.S. were divided into three groups and randomly assigned to recall and write about an experience of either contentment, pride, or joy (to help induce those feelings). Afterward, they reported how they felt and how self-accepting and satisfied with life they were.

What the researchers found is that people who were content were also more self-accepting than people who felt joy or pride, which seemed to explain their significantly greater life satisfaction.

“Compar[ed] to other positive emotions, contentment makes us more accepting of ourselves,” says Bai, which means “it can bring [people] the strength to accept the good and bad sides of their lives,” she adds.

Interestingly, contentment didn’t seem to lead to more personal growth or autonomy, though. According to Bai, that doesn’t mean contentment has a negative impact on those—just that they didn’t stand out as particular benefits of contentment. It could be that other positive emotions are more likely to help in those areas of well-being, while contentment helps in other ways.

Of course, joy and pride are positive emotions, too, and worthy of cultivating for their own sake. But this study makes a case that calmer emotions, like contentment, are also important. Bai says that people in the U.S. too often equate contentment with being lazy when, in fact, it seems to be a “magic” emotion with an unexpected superpower.

Though her team only studied people living in the United States, and more studies are needed, she’s optimistic that the benefits of feeling content are likely to be universal—and maybe even stronger in countries that already value contentment.

“Low-activating emotions, like contentment, can sometimes bring surprisingly large benefits to our well-being,” she says. “We should all be trying to cultivate it.”

About the Author

Jill Suttie

Jill Suttie, Psy.D. , is Greater Good ’s former book review editor and now serves as a staff writer and contributing editor for the magazine. She received her doctorate of psychology from the University of San Francisco in 1998 and was a psychologist in private practice before coming to Greater Good .

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How to Write Brown’s “Brings You Joy” Essay

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Shane Niesen and Vinay Bhaskara in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info. 

What’s Covered:

Avoid writing another extracurricular or academic essay, choose a topic that genuinely interests you, make the mundane interesting, be memorable, show improvement and commitment over time.

The third Brown University supplemental essay asks students to respond to the following prompt: 

Brown students care deeply about their work and the world around them. Students find contentment, satisfaction, and meaning in daily interactions and major discoveries. Whether big or small, mundane or spectacular, tell us about something that brings you joy. (200-250 words)

In this article, we will discuss how to select a strong essay topic, tips for writing a memorable essay, and strategies for choosing a topic that will demonstrate the type of student you will be on campus at Brown.

The Brown University “Joy” essay is in some ways similar to Brown’s extracurricular essay, but with the caveat that this essay is not as formal and can also include things like hobbies or academic subjects. As you explore topics for this essay, avoid repeating information that is already evident in other essays or parts of your application. This means that academic subjects are often not ideal topics for this essay, although you still may choose to include them. 

This essay is mainly a space to talk about an aspect of your life that is important to you or that you’re really interested in but that isn’t highlighted in the rest of your application.

If there is something about yourself that you haven’t expanded on yet in the rest of your application, this essay is a great opportunity to do so. For example, if you are really interested in fashion, tabletop games, painting, or other creative endeavors, this is a great space to bring that up. This essay lends itself particularly well to topics related to the arts or creative pursuits, so if you have something like that that you would like to discuss, this could be a great space to do so.

As you explore topics for this prompt, keep in mind that you should be picking something that genuinely interests you. The goal of this essay is not for you to sound impressive, so avoid topics that you are not actually passionate about, but that you think admissions officers will be impressed by, like, “I am interested in the geopolitical state of the world in solving its problems.” An essay like this will not get you as far as one that focuses on your actual interests.

For this prompt, try selecting a smaller topic that allows you to surprise the reader or help them empathize with you. In your essay, you should not only be describing what the activity is, but also highlighting how you feel when you pursue it.

Consider how your activity, like painting tabletop figurines, for example, brings you joy and contentment. Reflect on your state of mind while doing this activity versus your state of mind going about the world. Is this activity like a retreat for you? If so, this could be a great topic for this supplemental essay.

One tactic to consider when responding to this prompt is to take a mundane activity but then present it in a new and interesting light that makes the admissions officer re-appreciate it. Think creatively about how you spend your time and you may find that you have a unique passion lying within a more common activity or interest.

For example, if you enjoy recreating classical buildings in Minecraft, that could be something that you talk about. The strategy would be to write not just about playing Minecraft, but instead about this specific niche interest that you have in relation to an otherwise common activity. A topic like this can be quite impressive and can allow you to show your passion and convey a narrative arc. Even if the topic is a little unassuming from the outside, you can breathe life into it for the admissions officer, which is another great way to approach this essay.

Another strategy for selecting a topic for this prompt is to “go big” and choose something memorable. This may not apply to all students, but if you have a really unique activity or interest, or something that you have pursued to a high level, this could be a great way to make your essay stand out.

For example, if you were passionate about juggling and ultimately became a juggling performer, that could make a really interesting and memorable essay for an admissions officer to read. When admissions officers discuss your essays and applications, they remember the juggling kid in the back of their mind, and that will actually help you when they’re going back and thinking about filling in gaps in the class.

Being memorable is a great way to get accepted, especially to very selective schools like Brown, and this essay is a good way to do that if you have a unique and significant passion.

The point of this essay is to convey the genuine passion that you bring to your everyday life, and to demonstrate the kind of student you will be on campus. Brown is looking to see what kind of passion you will bring to the school community, and what kind of participant you will be in the extracurriculars at Brown.

As you write this essay, try to show commitment and some kind of improvement over time through your narrative arch. If your essay conveys that you started this activity and got better by continuously pursuing it, this will show admissions officers your genuine interest for and commitment to the activity. On the flip side, if you’re just casually interested in an activity like drawing, but never really felt the drive to improve and you just like to doodle, then you may not have enough content to write about for this particular prompt. 

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Why Finding Contentment Is Important In Life

Finding contentment in life seems like a road we all walk that never finds its end. If I am happy today do I really want things to change? If I am happy today am I content? Or am I just being complacent? Can I even say for sure that I know the difference?

A quick trip to the dictionary says that when we are content, we are happy. When we are complacent we are saying that we are happy, but we are doing so while being unaware of actual dangers or deficiencies present in our lives.

It seems that wherever we go, everyone is running around in search of some unknown thing without knowing what they want. A kind of discontentment reflects on their face be they millionaires, or average Joes. With so many people experiencing it, could this really be the purpose of life? No. Not to me. Finding contentment has to be my top priority.

Finding Contentment in Life

Life is beautiful, yes… but f I say to you that you should enjoy its beauty and be content with what you have, am I saying you shouldn’t try to achieve more? I don’t think so. I look at finding contentment as putting and end to strife , not putting an end to striving . Don’t ever stop improving. It does not hinder you to better your condition in this world, in your family or in your career.

You may want more, but as long as you appreciate what you have, there can be no wrong in seeking to better yourself. As the saying goes, be thankful for the life you have while fighting for the life you want. While doing that, though, give contentment a special place in your life because discontentment benefits no one. All it does is push you towards negativity which harms not only you, but also everyone connected to you.

Damages of Discontentment

Jealously, comparison, restlessness, depression, and aggression are the major factors of discontentment. Discontentment leaves deep scars on your soul and sometimes damages life in such a way that the damage is irreparable.

Discontentment is lust for money, material pleasure, fame, prestige and power. The result is rivalry, bitterness, greed, covetousness and jealously. Cut throat competition crops up everywhere be it career, family or academic levels. No one is satisfied with what they have. Self-sufficiency has taken the backseat.

Have we ever thought about what we are getting from these things? Are we benefiting from these feelings or actions? If the answer is No, then why not get better at finding contentment?

Finding contentment in life &  finding peace

There are two tents: content and discontent. It is up to you which one you live in. If contentment is profit, discontentment is loss; if contentment is happiness then discontentment is sadness. Contentment leads you to peace, happiness, self-sufficiency and love towards human beings and spirituality.

Make a checklist and find out whether you are closer to finding contentment, or further away now than ever.

• What is important for you?
• Are you happy?
• What makes you happy?
• Which of your needs are not being met?

If you find out the answers to your happiness are things that come from within yourself then you are contended.

Also Read :- Contentment is the key to Happiness , What is Contentment – Is Contentment Achievable

Finding contentment in life is the key to happiness which brings us internal, and eternal, peace. A contented mind free of turbulence. That helps foment positive thinking. Contentment is an instrument in shaping your life. All the worldly things (riches and power) are worthless without contentment. It is an investment which gives you inner peace, love, harmony and connectivity to God, and that is something which money can never buy.

When we cannot find contentment in ourselves, it is useless to seek it elsewhere ~ Francois La Rochefoucauld ( Tweet this )

So if you want to enjoy these benefits set yourself free from the cage of discontentment, start finding contentment and start living the life of your dreams.

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• personal skills

About the Author

Vandana sehgal.

Vandana is a Personality Enhancement Trainer associated with various Corporate and Management Colleges.

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• How to structure an essay: Templates and tips

How to Structure an Essay | Tips & Templates

Published on September 18, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

The basic structure of an essay always consists of an introduction , a body , and a conclusion . But for many students, the most difficult part of structuring an essay is deciding how to organize information within the body.

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Table of contents

The basics of essay structure, chronological structure, compare-and-contrast structure, problems-methods-solutions structure, signposting to clarify your structure, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about essay structure.

There are two main things to keep in mind when working on your essay structure: making sure to include the right information in each part, and deciding how you’ll organize the information within the body.

Parts of an essay

The three parts that make up all essays are described in the table below.

Order of information

You’ll also have to consider how to present information within the body. There are a few general principles that can guide you here.

The first is that your argument should move from the simplest claim to the most complex . The body of a good argumentative essay often begins with simple and widely accepted claims, and then moves towards more complex and contentious ones.

For example, you might begin by describing a generally accepted philosophical concept, and then apply it to a new topic. The grounding in the general concept will allow the reader to understand your unique application of it.

The second principle is that background information should appear towards the beginning of your essay . General background is presented in the introduction. If you have additional background to present, this information will usually come at the start of the body.

The third principle is that everything in your essay should be relevant to the thesis . Ask yourself whether each piece of information advances your argument or provides necessary background. And make sure that the text clearly expresses each piece of information’s relevance.

The sections below present several organizational templates for essays: the chronological approach, the compare-and-contrast approach, and the problems-methods-solutions approach.

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The chronological approach (sometimes called the cause-and-effect approach) is probably the simplest way to structure an essay. It just means discussing events in the order in which they occurred, discussing how they are related (i.e. the cause and effect involved) as you go.

A chronological approach can be useful when your essay is about a series of events. Don’t rule out other approaches, though—even when the chronological approach is the obvious one, you might be able to bring out more with a different structure.

Explore the tabs below to see a general template and a specific example outline from an essay on the invention of the printing press.

• Thesis statement
• Discussion of event/period
• Consequences
• Importance of topic
• Strong closing statement
• Claim that the printing press marks the end of the Middle Ages
• Background on the low levels of literacy before the printing press
• Thesis statement: The invention of the printing press increased circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation
• High levels of illiteracy in medieval Europe
• Literacy and thus knowledge and education were mainly the domain of religious and political elites
• Consequence: this discouraged political and religious change
• Invention of the printing press in 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg
• Implications of the new technology for book production
• Consequence: Rapid spread of the technology and the printing of the Gutenberg Bible
• Trend for translating the Bible into vernacular languages during the years following the printing press’s invention
• Luther’s own translation of the Bible during the Reformation
• Consequence: The large-scale effects the Reformation would have on religion and politics
• Summarize the history described
• Stress the significance of the printing press to the events of this period

Essays with two or more main subjects are often structured around comparing and contrasting . For example, a literary analysis essay might compare two different texts, and an argumentative essay might compare the strengths of different arguments.

There are two main ways of structuring a compare-and-contrast essay: the alternating method, and the block method.

Alternating

In the alternating method, each paragraph compares your subjects in terms of a specific point of comparison. These points of comparison are therefore what defines each paragraph.

The tabs below show a general template for this structure, and a specific example for an essay comparing and contrasting distance learning with traditional classroom learning.

• Synthesis of arguments
• Topical relevance of distance learning in lockdown
• Increasing prevalence of distance learning over the last decade
• Thesis statement: While distance learning has certain advantages, it introduces multiple new accessibility issues that must be addressed for it to be as effective as classroom learning
• Classroom learning: Ease of identifying difficulties and privately discussing them
• Distance learning: Difficulty of noticing and unobtrusively helping
• Classroom learning: Difficulties accessing the classroom (disability, distance travelled from home)
• Distance learning: Difficulties with online work (lack of tech literacy, unreliable connection, distractions)
• Classroom learning: Tends to encourage personal engagement among students and with teacher, more relaxed social environment
• Distance learning: Greater ability to reach out to teacher privately
• Sum up, emphasize that distance learning introduces more difficulties than it solves
• Stress the importance of addressing issues with distance learning as it becomes increasingly common
• Distance learning may prove to be the future, but it still has a long way to go

In the block method, each subject is covered all in one go, potentially across multiple paragraphs. For example, you might write two paragraphs about your first subject and then two about your second subject, making comparisons back to the first.

The tabs again show a general template, followed by another essay on distance learning, this time with the body structured in blocks.

• Point 1 (compare)
• Point 2 (compare)
• Point 3 (compare)
• Point 4 (compare)
• Advantages: Flexibility, accessibility
• Disadvantages: Discomfort, challenges for those with poor internet or tech literacy
• Advantages: Potential for teacher to discuss issues with a student in a separate private call
• Disadvantages: Difficulty of identifying struggling students and aiding them unobtrusively, lack of personal interaction among students
• Advantages: More accessible to those with low tech literacy, equality of all sharing one learning environment
• Disadvantages: Students must live close enough to attend, commutes may vary, classrooms not always accessible for disabled students
• Advantages: Ease of picking up on signs a student is struggling, more personal interaction among students
• Disadvantages: May be harder for students to approach teacher privately in person to raise issues

An essay that concerns a specific problem (practical or theoretical) may be structured according to the problems-methods-solutions approach.

This is just what it sounds like: You define the problem, characterize a method or theory that may solve it, and finally analyze the problem, using this method or theory to arrive at a solution. If the problem is theoretical, the solution might be the analysis you present in the essay itself; otherwise, you might just present a proposed solution.

The tabs below show a template for this structure and an example outline for an essay about the problem of fake news.

• Introduce the problem
• Provide background
• Describe your approach to solving it
• Define the problem precisely
• Describe why it’s important
• Indicate previous approaches to the problem
• Present your new approach, and why it’s better
• Apply the new method or theory to the problem
• Indicate the solution you arrive at by doing so
• Assess (potential or actual) effectiveness of solution
• Describe the implications
• Problem: The growth of “fake news” online
• Prevalence of polarized/conspiracy-focused news sources online
• Thesis statement: Rather than attempting to stamp out online fake news through social media moderation, an effective approach to combating it must work with educational institutions to improve media literacy
• Definition: Deliberate disinformation designed to spread virally online
• Popularization of the term, growth of the phenomenon
• Previous approaches: Labeling and moderation on social media platforms
• Critique: This approach feeds conspiracies; the real solution is to improve media literacy so users can better identify fake news
• Greater emphasis should be placed on media literacy education in schools
• This allows people to assess news sources independently, rather than just being told which ones to trust
• This is a long-term solution but could be highly effective
• It would require significant organization and investment, but would equip people to judge news sources more effectively
• Rather than trying to contain the spread of fake news, we must teach the next generation not to fall for it

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Signposting means guiding the reader through your essay with language that describes or hints at the structure of what follows.  It can help you clarify your structure for yourself as well as helping your reader follow your ideas.

The essay overview

In longer essays whose body is split into multiple named sections, the introduction often ends with an overview of the rest of the essay. This gives a brief description of the main idea or argument of each section.

The overview allows the reader to immediately understand what will be covered in the essay and in what order. Though it describes what  comes later in the text, it is generally written in the present tense . The following example is from a literary analysis essay on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein .

Transitions

Transition words and phrases are used throughout all good essays to link together different ideas. They help guide the reader through your text, and an essay that uses them effectively will be much easier to follow.

Various different relationships can be expressed by transition words, as shown in this example.

Because Hitler failed to respond to the British ultimatum, France and the UK declared war on Germany. Although it was an outcome the Allies had hoped to avoid, they were prepared to back up their ultimatum in order to combat the existential threat posed by the Third Reich.

Transition sentences may be included to transition between different paragraphs or sections of an essay. A good transition sentence moves the reader on to the next topic while indicating how it relates to the previous one.

… Distance learning, then, seems to improve accessibility in some ways while representing a step backwards in others.

However , considering the issue of personal interaction among students presents a different picture.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
• Appeal to authority fallacy
• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy

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• College Essay Format & Structure
• Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay

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The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.

The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.

An essay isn’t just a loose collection of facts and ideas. Instead, it should be centered on an overarching argument (summarized in your thesis statement ) that every part of the essay relates to.

The way you structure your essay is crucial to presenting your argument coherently. A well-structured essay helps your reader follow the logic of your ideas and understand your overall point.

Comparisons in essays are generally structured in one of two ways:

• The alternating method, where you compare your subjects side by side according to one specific aspect at a time.
• The block method, where you cover each subject separately in its entirety.

It’s also possible to combine both methods, for example by writing a full paragraph on each of your topics and then a final paragraph contrasting the two according to a specific metric.

You should try to follow your outline as you write your essay . However, if your ideas change or it becomes clear that your structure could be better, it’s okay to depart from your essay outline . Just make sure you know why you’re doing so.

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Short Essay & Paragraph On Contentment | For Students

The abundance of happiness is contentment. This is why people work so hard. I’ll never be satisfied because I’m always wanting more. Contentment does not imply satisfaction, gratitude; rather, it implies acceptance of one’s current situation.

Following short paragraphs essay on contentment alone is the best way to happiness for students study about happy and contented life

Table of Contents

Short Essay & Paragraph About Contentment Is Happiness For Students

Technology has made our lives easier, but contentment is not something that can be found in technological devices; people still look for it in their material possessions.

The wealthy are never satisfied, whereas the poor are content. Self-control leads to contentment, which eschews all worldly desires.

True contentment and peace of mind cannot be purchased with external objects or money; they must come from within us. To achieve that state of bliss where only peace and happiness exist, one must pursue it relentlessly.

The Pursuit of Contentment And Satisfaction

The term “contentment” is frequently used, but what exactly does it imply? “The quality or state of being contented,” according to Webster’s dictionary. “A mental or emotional attitude characterized by satisfaction with what one has,” according to Merriam-Webster. As a result, contentment is a mental state in which we are happy with what we have.

There are numerous things in this world that can cause us to be dissatisfied. We are never satisfied with what we have and are always looking for more. We often feel unfulfilled and unhappy as a result of our constant pursuit of more. Technology has played a significant role in making us feel this way. We are constantly looking for ways to entertain ourselves or make our lives easier with all of the gadgets and devices at our disposal. However, none of these things can bring true happiness or contentment.

The wealthy are rarely satisfied because they are constantly seeking more money and possessions. The poor, on the other hand, can be content with the bare necessities because they lack the extravagant desires that come with wealth. Contentment is a state of mind that cannot be bought or obtained through material possessions. It is an emotional state of mind that we cannot purchase. We must pursue it tenaciously in order to obtain it, as it will never simply fall into our laps.

Although many people yearn for happiness in their lives, few understand what it entails or how to achieve it. True happiness is found in self-control and the rejection of all worldly goods and pleasures. The wealthy will always seek more wealth, while the poor will be content with fewer possessions. This pursuit of true contentment resides within each individual and must be pursued with zeal if true happiness is to be found. Thank you for taking the time to read this!

To summaries, contentment is the key to happiness, and it can only be attained by exercising self-control and denying all worldly desires. This state of mind cannot be purchased with money, and external objects cannot bring peace and happiness. It comes from within us and must be pursued with zeal in order to be realized. Thank you for taking the time to read this!

500 words Essay on Contentment

Contentment is the state of being satisfied and fulfilled with one’s current circumstances and possessions. It is often seen as the opposite of materialism, which is the constant desire for more wealth, status, and possessions. Contentment is a mindset that allows people to appreciate what they have and find happiness in the present moment.

One of the key benefits of contentment is that it allows people to be happy with what they have, rather than constantly striving for more. This means that people who are content are less likely to be affected by the constant consumerism that surrounds us, and are less likely to be swayed by societal pressures to have the latest gadgets or the most luxurious cars. Instead, they focus on what is truly important in life – relationships, personal growth, and the pursuit of passions and interests.

Being content also means that people are less likely to be affected by envy, which is a common source of unhappiness. When people are content, they are less likely to compare themselves to others, and are more likely to appreciate what they have. This allows them to focus on their own lives, rather than constantly comparing themselves to others.

Contentment also has a positive effect on mental health. People who are content tend to have lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. They are less likely to be affected by negative thoughts and feelings, and are more likely to find peace and happiness in their lives.

Another benefit of contentment is that it allows people to be more present in their lives. When people are content, they are less likely to be focused on the past or the future, and are more likely to be focused on the present moment. This means that they are more likely to enjoy the little things in life and make the most of the time they have.

Being content also means that people are more likely to be grateful for what they have. People who are content tend to have a greater appreciation for the things they have, and are more likely to be thankful for the blessings in their lives. This allows them to find joy and happiness in the things they already have, rather than constantly searching for more.

However, it’s important to note that contentment doesn’t mean being complacent or stagnant. People can still strive for self-improvement and pursue their goals while being content. Contentment is not about being content with mediocrity, but about finding fulfillment and satisfaction in one’s current situation while still having ambition and motivation to grow and improve.

In conclusion, contentment is a valuable mindset that allows people to find happiness and fulfillment in their current circumstances. It allows people to be happy with what they have, rather than constantly striving for more, and to find peace and happiness in the present moment. It also has a positive effect on mental health, and allows people to be more present and grateful in their lives. Contentment can be cultivated through mindfulness and the practice of gratitude, and it can be a valuable tool for finding peace and fulfillment in life.

Hello! Welcome to my Blog StudyParagraphs.co. My name is Angelina. I am a college professor. I love reading writing for kids students. This blog is full with valuable knowledge for all class students. Thank you for reading my articles.

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200+ Transition Words for Argumentative Essay

Transition words are linking words or phrases that connect ideas, sentences, or paragraphs, ensuring a smooth flow of information. They help improve coherence and guide readers through the text.

In this article, let’s talk about what good transition words for argumentative essays are, why they matter so much in argumentative essays, and how to use them effectively. You'll get a clear idea of how these words can make your writing more convincing and easier to read. Plus, we’ll provide you with plenty of examples so you can see how to use them in your own essays.

And if you finish reading and still feel like you could use a hand with your essay, DoMyEssay is here to help. We can assist with any part of your writing process, whether it’s refining your arguments or polishing the final draft.

How to Use Transition Words for Argumentative Essays?

Let’s say you’re in the middle of crafting your argumentative essay. You’ve got great points, and everything makes sense in your head, but when you read it back, it feels a bit disjointed. That’s where transition words come in. When used right, the appropriate transition words can act as a hook for argumentative essay, keeping your readers engaged.

Here’s how to use them effectively:

• Give Each Transition Word a Job Every transition word has a specific role in your essay. Some introduce a new idea, like "firstly" or "to begin with." If you’re adding more info, you might use "also" or "in addition." Then there are those that contrast ideas, like "however" or "on the other hand." Knowing what each word is meant to do helps you pick the right one for the right moment.
• Use Them Where They Count You want to place transition words where they’ll have the most impact (usually at the start of a new paragraph or when you’re shifting to a new point). For example, if you’ve just argued that renewable energy is good for the environment, you could say, "For instance," before giving a specific example. 
• Keep Your Essay Smooth The whole point of using transition words is to keep your essay coherent and flowing naturally. For example, after discussing one advantage of a policy, you might use "similarly" to transition smoothly to the next point, making sure your essay feels connected and logical.
• Mix It Up Using the same transition word over and over can get boring fast. So, try to vary them: use "moreover" instead of always saying "also," or "on the flip side" instead of "however." This keeps your writing interesting and shows that you have a good range of vocabulary. But don’t overdo it: too many transitions can make your essay feel forced.
• Play with Placement Well, transition words don’t always have to go at the beginning of a sentence. Sometimes, they work in the middle or even at the end. For example, you could start a sentence with "Therefore" to show a conclusion. Or, you could use it in the middle: "The policy is effective, therefore reducing costs." This gives your writing a nice rhythm!

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Types of Argumentative Essay Transition Words

Transition words connect your ideas in an argumentative essay, helping your reader follow along without getting lost. They’re small tools that can make your already persuasive writing clearer and more persuasive. Let’s break down some different types of transition words you can use.

Starting a New Point

When you’re starting a new idea or argument, you want your reader to know you’re shifting to something new. Transition words for essays like "initially" are great for signaling this. These phrases help set the stage for the new point you’re about to make, letting your reader know what’s coming next:

• "To start with, renewable energy is a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels."
• "Firstly, social media has changed how we interact with each other."

Adding More Information

Sometimes you need to pile on additional info to back up your argument. Transition words like "besides" help you do just that and make it easy to add layers to your argument, giving it more depth:

• "Furthermore, renewable energy sources can create new jobs in the economy."
• "Also, social media platforms are becoming key tools in education."

Giving Examples

When you want to make your point more concrete, you’ll need to throw in some examples. Words like "for example" help you introduce these examples smoothly. These transitions show your readers that you’re about to give them something real to back up your claim:

• "For instance, countries like Germany have heavily invested in solar power."
• "To illustrate, many businesses use social media to connect directly with customers."

Showing Contrast

Not all points will be in agreement with each other, and that’s okay. When you need to highlight differences or opposing ideas, words like "in contrast" can be your go-tos. These phrases help you present complex ideas with a balanced view by acknowledging other perspectives:

• "However, some argue that renewable energy is still too expensive to implement widely."
• "On the other hand, social media can sometimes lead to misinformation spreading quickly."

Explaining Cause and Effect

When you need to show that one thing leads to another, transition words like "therefore" help make that connection clear. These transitional words help you link your ideas, showing how one thing influences another:

• "Because of the increase in renewable energy, carbon emissions have significantly decreased."
• "As a result, social media has become a powerful tool for activism."

Backing Up with Evidence

When you’re supporting your argument with facts or research, transition words like "according to" or "as shown by" help you introduce this evidence clearly and lend credibility to your argument:

• "According to recent studies, renewable energy could power 80% of the U.S. by 2050."
• "In fact, social media use has been linked to increased engagement in political activities."

Addressing the Other Side

A good argumentative essay doesn’t ignore opposing views. Transition words like "despite" help you address these counterarguments and show that you’ve considered the key point from all angles, which strengthens your argument:

• "Although renewable energy has a higher initial cost, the long-term benefits outweigh it."
• "Even though social media has its downsides, its benefits cannot be ignored."

Wrapping It All Up

Finally, when you’re ready to conclude your essay, use words like "to sum up" to bring everything together and signal to your reader that you’re wrapping things up and summarizing your main points:

• "In conclusion, shifting to renewable energy is not just an option, but a necessity for a sustainable future."
• "All in all, social media's impact on society is profound, offering both opportunities and challenges."

List of Transition Words for Argumentative Essays

Introduction.

• To begin with
• In the first place
• First and foremost
• At the outset
• To start with
• As an introduction
• Before anything else
• Let’s start by
• The first point is
• It all starts with
• To introduce the topic
• To open the discussion
• In the beginning
• To set the stage
• Starting with
• In the first instance
• To lay the foundation
• As we start
• To kick things off
• The first thing to address is
• As a starting point
• Let’s first consider
• Additionally
• Furthermore
• In addition
• Not to mention
• What’s more
• On top of that
• Equally important
• Another point is
• Beyond that
• To further elaborate
• Coupled with
• For example
• For instance
• To illustrate
• As an example
• Specifically
• To give you an idea
• Take the case of
• Consider the following
• As illustrated by
• In particular
• In this case
• To demonstrate
• As shown by
• One example is
• To put it in perspective
• An illustration of this is
• A good example is

Contradiction

• On the other hand
• Nevertheless
• Nonetheless
• In contrast
• On the contrary
• Despite this
• In spite of
• Even though

Cause and Effect

• As a result
• Consequently
• Because of this
• For this reason
• Accordingly
• As a consequence
• This leads to
• Resulting in
• In response to
• With this in mind
• As evidence
• According to
• As demonstrated by
• In support of this
• Research shows
• To back this up
• As confirmed by
• As indicated by
• As corroborated by
• Studies reveal
• As evidenced by
• Data suggests
• As supported by
• Undoubtedly
• It is evident that
• There is no denying that
• It is clear that
• It is certain that
• To emphasize
• As a matter of fact
• Unquestionably
• This suggests that
• It stands to reason that
• In light of this
• This demonstrates
• This proves

Counterargument

• It is true that
• One might argue
• Some may say
• While it is true
• Although it is often believed
• On the one hand
• This may be true, but
• There is some truth to
• In conclusion
• All things considered
• To conclude
• As a final point
• Taking everything into account
• In the final analysis
• Upon reflection
• In retrospect
• To summarize
• Considering these points
• As has been demonstrated

Clarification

• In other words
• To put it simply
• That is to say
• In simpler terms
• To put it another way
• What this means is
• For clarity
• To rephrase
• Put differently
• To be clear
• More specifically
• In plain language
• To put it clearly
• Stated differently
• To break it down
• To put things into perspective
• Without a doubt
• Significantly
• Particularly
• Most importantly
• Emphatically
• It should be emphasized
• It is worth noting
• Importantly
• Subsequently
• Following this
• Simultaneously
• In the meantime
• In the same way
• In a similar manner
• In like manner
• By the same token
• In a similar fashion
• Correspondingly
• In parallel
• Comparable to
• In the same vein
• Analogous to
• In the same spirit
• Along similar lines
• In much the same way

Simple Help for Better Essays

Want to improve your essay’s flow and impact? We’re here to help with easy-to-follow advice and edits.

Wrapping Up

We’ve discussed what the different transition words are, why they matter, and how to use them effectively, complete with examples and tips.

To help you even further, here’s a handy table summarizing the best transition sentences and words to use for each part of your body paragraphs, with some more examples:

On the flip side, Conversely, That said, From a different perspective, On the contrary

But if you’re still scratching your head after reading this, wondering how to add these transitions into your essay, DoMyEssay can help with any part of your writing process. Whether you need assistance with transitions, crafting strong and convincing arguments, or polishing your final draft, we’ve got you covered.

How to Achieve Contentment

An even more worthy goal than happiness..

Posted October 27, 2021 | Reviewed by Davia Sills

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• Achieving contentment may be even more important to well-being than being happy.
• People can inventory their life for activities and relationships that have brought contentment in the past.
• They can look for new things to try that might add to their contentment, such as artistic pursuits or volunteer work, and cut back on others.

There's something better than the pursuit of happiness .

To explain, some people could be happy, at least for a while, being high all day while being ministered to by sycophants. But contentment is more encompassing, more permanent. and more worthwhile. That's because you could gain contentment doing something that doesn't make you happy but the benefit of which is worth it.

An iconic example is Mother Teresa, who couldn’t have been happy amid Calcutta’s stench, her ankles ever bitten by scorpions. But according to the definitive biography by Kathryn Spink, she lived contentedly, helping countless people, despite, perhaps surprisingly, her struggle to maintain her religious faith.

But what about you? How can you gain contentment—without having to be a saint?

Inventory your life.

First, inventory your current life and earlier years. What has brought you at least some contentment? Consider your work life, relationships, recreational activities, and volunteering. Do you want to do more of any of those?

A special word about relationships. Would the " Wise One" within you tell you to spend more time or less time with certain friends? Which ones? Which family members?

Now project forward. There may well be activities you haven’t yet done but sense could contribute to a more contented life. Examples may include:

Should you take on or request to take on a special project that would increase your contentedness? Maybe it's even a Big Project that, when you’re looking back on your life, will make you feel good about how you lived it. For example, a helping professional might decide to write a magnum opus of lessons learned from professional life A teacher might assemble a reunion of former students. A scientist could convene a Zoom meeting of the colleagues worldwide that s/he most respects.

• Relationships

Have you shortchanged yourself by accepting poor relationships? Would you live a more contented life if you pruned those and tried to replace them? Where might better-suited people be? At the right MeetUp? At a volunteer opportunity? What course might they take? What singles activity might they attend? The right relationships can certainly boost contentment.

Outside-of-work activities

Artistic expression. That needn’t require great talent. Many mere mortals have found a creative outlet in photography, needlework from knitting to quilting, and singing, perhaps in a choir, perhaps just when alone in your home, the proverbial shower singer. Write stories, poems, even the Great American Novel or screenplay? Or is there someone whose biography you’d like to write, even your own?

Appreciating others’ artistic productions. Many people are content with more passive involvement in artistic endeavors. That's typically as an audience member and perhaps donor. But there's a middle-ground between artistic creator and observer. Just one example: Become a behind-the-scenes person in a community theatre. As someone who has directed plays and been board president of a community theatre, I can speak with certitude about the ongoing need for volunteers to be stage manager, prop-manager, running lights and sound, scene builder, scene painter, costumer, and dresser (helping actors make quick costume changes.) One step further removed is selling tickets or fundraising.

Sports. Would your contentment be increased by participating in a competitive or relaxed recreational sports league? Or if you prefer an individual sport, might you want to go all-in on skiing, martial arts, golf, hiking, or tennis? Or if you’d like a less physically demanding sport, how about bowling or table tennis? Or, as millions of people do, become a loyal fan.

Things you want to do less of? Many people find that the short-term pleasures of, for example, shopping, substance use, promiscuity, and gambling are inimical to ongoing contentment. How about you?

The takeaway

As appealing and enshrined as the pursuit of happiness is, contentment may be an even wiser goal. Might any of this post’s ideas boost yours?

I read this aloud on YouTube.

Marty Nemko, Ph.D ., is a career and personal coach based in Oakland, California, and the author of 10 books.

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