The Gift of Your Discontent

I want to share something with you.

It’s something I’ve noticed in myself, in the women in my life, and in the women I work with. 

It has to do with discontent - that sense of longing deep within that you desire something different, something better for yourself. 

It could be with your health, with a relationship, with your career or work, or with your finances. 

It could be with something as “small” as feeling “blah” about the same meals you prepare for yourself and your family each week, to something as “big” as not really loving the city or town you live in. 

What I’ve noticed is that we tend to dismiss our discontent. 

Like somehow it’s bad or wrong to want something different or new - to want more for ourselves and our lives. 

So we tolerate the status quo.  

We wait until “someday” when it makes more sense to address it - if that someday ever comes. 

When asked how we are, we give the pat answer “Fine” or “Good”, almost as if on automatic pilot, before quickly echoing back, “How are you??” 

We bury away our discontent behind our smiles, our surface conversation, and our politeness. 

And in doing so, we miss the gift entirely. 

Not only that, but dismissing how we really feel chips away, bit by bit, at our vibrance, our strength, our health on every level. 

Not acknowledging and addressing how we really feel can even lead to or contribute to serious health challenges. 

And this, my friends, is not good. 

So what is the gift?  

The gift of our discontent is that it shows us where we need to grow and evolve. 

It lights the way towards our desires - towards what we REALLY want - and when we allow ourselves to connect to and feel excited about what we REALLY want, it leads to all sorts of positive changes, including health benefits - feeling more energized, lifted mood, feeling more excited, eager - 

More ALIVE.

Who doesn’t want that?

Our discontent reminds us that we are meant to grow and evolve - life isn’t about doing the same thing forever, checking off all the “right” boxes based on someone else’s opinion, or keeping ourselves firmly in the status quo. 

It’s about growth, it’s about continually evolving into fuller versions of ourselves. 

Which, by the way, has tremendous benefits to your physical health and well-being. 

So when you’re not allowing yourself to go for more, your discontent will let you know. 

It’s not bad or wrong to want more - it is actually part of your design as a human being. 

And everyone benefits when you are the fullest, most evolved, happiest, most alive version of yourself. 

You end up inspiring and uplifting those around you without even trying - just by being who you are. 

The more I learn about health and well-being, the more I realize that health goes far, far beyond what you eat, how much you exercise, or whether or not you’re meditating. 

It’s not just about taking all the “right” supplements or eating all the “right” foods while avoiding the “wrong” ones, doing the “right” workout, or even getting the “right” amount of sleep. 

These elements are all relevant and helpful, but we have to take care of ALL of us - not just our bodies, but also our minds, hearts, and souls. 

And discontent is key in helping us see where we need to look, what we need to focus on, what needs to be addressed. 

So I invite you this week to allow yourself to look at your discontent - what are some areas that don’t feel good for you, that feel “off” or out of alignment - maybe areas you haven’t examined in a long, long time. 

Find one and allow yourself to explore what you desire instead. 

That’s it! You don’t have to take any action towards the desired state unless, of course, you want to. 

Either way, you can appreciate the important message your discontent is providing for you. 

And you can start to receive the gift for yourself. 

Who knows, you may find that when you are really honest about what you really want, the way to get there becomes more obvious, and it’s not as hard as you’ve made it out to be. 

If health is an area where you find you have discontent, click here to book a free call with me, where we can explore the possibilities for your health and well-being together.

To Your Best Health,
Dr. Kendall Ritz