For Day 25 of our tour through 30 Chic Days by Fiona Ferris, the suggestion is to “collect contentment in petite measures.” What a lovely idea on Christmas Day!
Much of today’s entry centers around looking inward rather than outward to find contentment. So often, we compare our situation to that of others and think we come up short, which can swiftly lead to discontent and resentment – pretty much the polar opposite of feeling chic!
Fortunately, Mme. Ferris keeps today’s writing firmly grounded in the practical. As she points out, comparisons can be deadly if we allow ourselves to get swept up in them. Keeping up with the Joneses rarely, if ever, leads to good money decisions. (Remember, we’re being “financially chic!”) It’s also very wise to remember that the glossy magazine pictures are the result of a crew of stylists and photographers and that what we read on social media is usually carefully curated to emphasize the good and downplay the mundane and the negative. I try hard to be honest in my social media postings, but look – there are days where the house is messy, where my husband and I are talking at cross-purposes, and a cat has gotten sick on the blanket. That’s simply life, my darlings, and if we’re lucky, it happens to all of us.
We all need to resolve to take better care of our lives – both the ones we currently have and the ones we’re working to build. Mme. Ferris points out that we should all be proud of what we’ve accomplished – regardless of how small it may seem or how easily it may have come to us. (As I’ve said before, “weird talents are still talents.”) Let’s all stop minimizing how amazing we are.
She also suggests that we keep our lives feeling free and open by not over-obligating ourselves. This is truly a challenge for me – there are so many worthy causes to be involved with that it sometimes has led me to say “yes” to far, far too many things. Even sunshine burns if you get too much of it, so learn to say “no” as a complete sentence. Don’t explain, just say “no” and smile kindly. You’re done.
On this Christmas night, what good advice Mme. Ferris has given us! It’s so easy to get all “spun up” at the holidays and to put too much pressure on ourselves to make things “perfect,” whatever that means.
It’s Christmas night. There’s one more present for you. Here. Go on, open it.
I give you the gift of contentment. Right now, where you are, complete with dirty dishes, difficult family members, and messy living rooms.
Let us all be content with the lives we have and the ones we are building.
Peace to us all.
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