What is chronic dissatisfaction? Are there any methods to overcome it definitively? Here are some guidelines for dealing with it effectively.
Last update: May 31, 2020
Not everyone shows a level of satisfaction in line with their living conditions. Maybe they have everything: money, fame, love, health ... Yet, it is difficult to see in them some manifestation of full joy or happiness. How come? What is the reason for this unhappiness? Perhaps these people suffer from chronic dissatisfaction.
Spending your life complaining is one of the worst vices of this century. When this situation arises, the individual can develop two different approaches. In the first case, you choose to accept your condition. Chronic dissatisfaction becomes a mental aspect and the person learns to be content, to be happy with what he has.
The other approach is totally opposite. Faced with a situation of dissatisfaction, we act by giving our best to change things. Sacrifice, application, constancy, determination ...
In reality, both approaches are needed to overcome chronic dissatisfaction. We reveal why in this article.
Where does chronic dissatisfaction arise?
All of us have probably felt dissatisfied at least once. Nobody has a perfect life. However, the problem arises when this feeling dominates every single day.
Generally chronic dissatisfaction is related to two elements: not accepting reality and being unable to change what is wrong. Both elements are essential for feeling good. Applying just one produces fatigue (psychological and physical, in order), but it also promotes unpleasant emotions and even depression.
What happens if you accept this condition?
Imagine, for a moment, choosing the first approach. Exactly, that of acceptance. Even if there are elements in your life that you don't like at all, you decide to stop worrying. After all, enjoying the moment is one of the secrets of human happiness.
So, you will stop wasting time thinking about what is wrong. If your boss is a bad person, you will turn the other cheek to him. If you don't have enough money to start a family, you will give up. But what will be the effects of this attitude in the long run?
You will begin to feel that you have no control over your life. You will feel just like a ship adrift, and rightly so. Acceptance is a very powerful tool, but it is only needed in two cases:
- Starting point for change (if you do not recognize that you have a problem, you will not have the motivation to intervene to solve it);
- Way to assimilate what cannot be changed.
On the other hand, resigning is likely to produce a false acceptance, ending up generating a great malaise on the basis of cognitive dissonance.
Is it worth the effort to change things?
Let us now take the opposite example. Imagine that you hate a certain situation and decide to do everything to change it. Nonetheless, you are discharging some of your responsibilities: if a situation does not go as hoped, it is probably also your fault.
Giving your best and making an effort to improve a situation you don't like is certainly a commendable initiative, but not taking on your responsibilities will hardly help. The lack of self-criticism often pushes the individual towards bad decisions, which will increasingly distance the final goals.
How to deal with chronic dissatisfaction?
To get out of this impasse, you will have to mix the two strategies. To bring about effective change, you need to accept the situation and then start making an effort for improvement. While this strategy may seem contradictory, we will provide you with an example to better understand it.
Imagine that you are overweight and would like to lose weight. You are also convinced that recovering the line would make you happier. Well, the first step will be to ask yourself, honestly, if you really have this desire or not. If the inner dialogue is distorted, so too will the strategies you put into practice.
On the other hand, starting a diet and going to the gym, torturing yourself for gaining a few extra pounds, won't help you reach your goal. Fostering negative thoughts means having a ball and chain. What, then, must you do to overcome chronic dissatisfaction?
- First of all, accept that you are dissatisfied with your physical appearance (or yes, if you are). You have a high BMI and would like to reduce it.
- Now, make the decision to address the problem, as you don't want the situation to be final.
- Then, set a goal and start working towards it. In this case, you can change your diet and / or start exercising regularly. The best thing is to rely on a professional.
- Over time, objectively observe how the situation evolves and change what may not work. Remember that it is not a fault to slow down, take a break, or pull back if you feel the need.
If you follow these four steps, chronic dissatisfaction will disappear. Just remember that accepting the situation and working to change it are two steps that belong to the same path. It is difficult to establish an intelligent action plan if the situation has not been analyzed and accepted with sincere awareness.
