It is really easy to take the easy way out. Complacency seems like such an nice idea, one void of suffering and pain. But alas, it is nothing more than a tempting concept that is also void of passion, purpose, and reason. To be complacent in life is to ignore every bit of passion and joy given to us. We are beings created for a passionate existence, void of complacency and filled with a longing to know ourselves.
Joy is given to us by God as a tool to guide us in our search for purpose and passion. Joy is a characteristic, not an emotion. While happiness may be an interesting idea, it is temporary and shallow. Following happiness will lead to an empty life, but following joy will lead you to an authentic existence. If you are becoming complacent in your life, you are probably ignoring the things that bring you true joy. You are meant to chase your joy with passion, and find your passion with joy.
While you are able to be complacent in life, you are also able to be content with your life. To be content with life is to appreciate the specific position you are in while also striving to develop even more. You should aim to be pleased with every moment in your life, for if you are not content with where you are, you will not be content with where you want to be. Assuming that one change in your personality – one alteration in your daily life – will grant you happiness and contentment in life is a fool's gold. The more you place your existential joy on the environment you are in, the less control you take over your own life. Allowing your joy to be determined by those around you is to believe that you are not capable of finding your own joy.
"... The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain."
– Kahlil Gibran
Some people seek complacency in order to avoid suffering, but this is not how we were made to live. The avoidance of suffering is the direct denial of the human experience. If you cannot face any aspect of life with peace in your soul, you are not living. This is not to say that we are meant to seek suffering in order to truly appreciate life, but if you are not able to appreciate your time in the valley, you will not be able to appreciate your life on the mountain. Recognize that just as joy fills your heart, so does sorrow. We are made to appreciate both, for they are part of this existence.
Complacency is nothing more than a person's ignorance toward the significance of the brief existence given to them. To remain stagnant in this world is to assume that there is nothing more for you to achieve, nothing more for you to experience. Taking on this mode of existence is a direct contradiction to the nature of your being. The fact that you are alive at this very moment in the history of the universe should serve as an indication of how precious and significant your existence is.
We are beings meant to consciously experience every moment of life. If we are absent-mindedly existing, we are ignoring the importance of the brief time given to us. Being complacent in your life is the cruelest thing you could ever do to yourself. To ignore every aspect essential to your existence is to deny the beauty of your creation. Love yourself and your existence by taking captive every moment, instilling it with your passion and joy, and you will surely live an authentic life.
