How can I find contentment with what is?

In yoga, there’s an observance called “santosha” that invites people to find contentment in the present moment, regardless of external circumstances. Embracing santosha can help us develop a sense of inner balance.

My family, having recently settled in Chicago, decided to take on the challenge of renovating our place. While we outsourced some tasks, we decided to DIY many others. Throughout this process, I’ve been intentionally trying to practice santosha, and this renovation project has truly put it to the test. There have been many times when I’ve caught myself focusing on what I don’t have—whether it’s material things, support, or the resources to address hiccups along the way. The wall might not be painted perfectly, for example, or the color might not seem right, or I might feel like I need a new piece of furniture for that corner. However, keeping up with the practice of santosha has reminded me to treasure contentment—helping us save money, conserve energy, and let go of perfectionism.

One day, after a 12-hour stretch of painting, I lay in bed exhausted. My husband and I began to discuss our plan about what to paint the next day. He mentioned, with a bit of “regret” in his voice, “Amor (love), I need to tell you something: While I was painting the wall, the brush touched the ceiling. I mean, you can barely notice the difference, but it’s there.” I responded, “Oh my gosh, I did the same thing, and it actually happened many times!” He looked at me and said, “Well, it happened many times for me, too.” Then I admitted, “I even tried to smear the paint so you wouldn’t notice,” and we both started laughing uncontrollably. We agreed that it was fine and continued laughing, mimicking how we had attempted to blend the color of the wall with that of the ceiling. In that moment, I felt pure contentment. I felt closer to him, and I didn’t care if everything was perfect. What mattered to me was that we were both content and at peace—having struck a balance of “good enough.”

As someone who always strives for perfection, this was a helpful reminder that perfectionism can often get in the way of contentment. Since then, whenever I begin to complain—whether verbally or in my mind—I have been responding by slowing down to think: Is this worth my energy? Do I already have a piece of furniture that could fit there? How can I show appreciation to the people who have helped us so far? How can I accept the things I can’t change? How can I find contentment with what is? This shift in perspective has not only improved my outlook during this project, but also saved me resources, helped me avoid silly arguments, and enabled me to find balance.