The C-word #099

"I think my parents have found the C-Word"

“I think my parents have found the C-Word”

I remember my lovely client Kate saying something to that effect to me in her Annual Planning Meeting. We were having our normal past year download, me asking about her work, health, partner and family, when she brought up the C-Word.

Contentment

There it is, I’ve said it out loud. Contentment.

How are you?

It came to mind earlier this week when a friend and I were catching up over dinner and asking each other how we were, really.

My reply? Good. Calm. Relaxed. Grateful. And then it just came out. Contented¹.

I used to think contentment was some kind of cop out. A mediocre state to be tolerated until something better came along. Something more exciting. More rewarding. Better. Bigger. Racier. Sexier.

Now I realise that yearning for ‘more’ reflected my restless unease and searching.

I’m not saying I’m done - in a Radio Times on my lap, feet up, daytime TV kind of way. Definitely not. There’s lots I still want to do: travel, adventure, sport, learning, building my coaching business, relationships, moving, giving. But I’m feeling content. Content these things will unfold in the way they’re meant to, when the time is right.

Perhaps this is a natural state at my time of life. I’ve lived a bit, seen a bit, accumulated a bit; money, friends, experience, dare I even say wisdom.

Or maybe it’s a state of mind. One that might have been available to me at any stage had I allowed or noticed it.

It’s probably a combination of both.

Five Years

That, combined with finding a balance of wellbeing that works for me.

I’ve spoken about wellbeing before, and the five pillars underlying it: purpose, social, community, physical, and financial wellbeing. It’s taken me a while to land this feeling. After all, it’s already five years since I finished full-time work in January 2021. We were still in the throes of Covid with the restrictions and uncertainty that brought.

Since then, I’ve experimented with a few things; Ladybones² being one of the work-related ones. I’ve done some fabulous travelling: South East Asia, New Zealand and the US, not to mention Spain, Greece and Italy. I’ve discovered cycling and paddle boarding. I’ve done some MCing, podcasting and writing, starting this 1000Weeks project. And I’ve had a long-term relationship change.

But rarely have I felt contented. Until now.

Change

I’m conscious this state is likely to change. We certainly live in a crazy, unsettled world which seemingly becomes less recognisable and more unsettling on a weekly basis. I accept it may sound ‘off’ to say I feel a sense of contentment with all this uncertainty, at home and overseas. Perhaps being in this space enables me to lean into this uncertainty.

Nobody knows what’s around the corner. So I will enjoy this feeling whilst I can, holding in mind my word for 2026: Simple. Focusing on the things I can control or get involved in, taking steps forward, and feeling grateful as I go.

You

As ever, I’m interested in you. What’s your relationship to the word contentment? What does it mean to you? How do you find it? And if the word for you isn’t contentment, what would it be?

Pour yourself a matcha latte, oat milk naturally, and drop me a line. I’d love to hear from you.

And remember: you’re never going to be any younger than you are today. What are you searching for that no longer serves you?

Until next week, my friends

Ruth x

Thanks for reading this weeks 1000Weeks. If you enjoyed it, I’d love it if you left me a comment or a❤️. If you know someone who might enjoy my words please do share this piece, or subscribe if you haven’t already. Why not all four? Thank you, I really appreciate it.

1. Yes, even on Sunday after getting totally drenched out walking the dog in the rain in Dorset as per the photo!

2. Ladybones is a great women’s fitness methodology founded by my friend and Strength and Conditioning Coach Leah Dunthorne, focussed on bones, agility, balance and strength, BABS as we called it!