Margriet Verhagen, Yoga teacher / Burnout coach
Ages Served: 25-65+
Appointments: In-studio and Zoom
Contentment & non-striving
How Can You Be Content with What You Have — and Let Go of the Constant Striving for “Better”?
Some people are satisfied with a 70%, while others feel disappointed even with a 96%.
Perfectionism is a killer. It makes nothing feel right, nothing feel enough, nothing ever good enough. Everything can always be better.
But why is it like this, how does it work, and why is it so difficult to let it go?
It works this way because the “reward” is appreciation — and sometimes even admiration. But being admired or appreciated for what you achieve rather than for who you are, creates a cycle: you perform, you receive validation, and so you perform again to receive more of it.
You were born to be real, not to be perfect.
And perfection will never make you happy. Love is not about performance or admiration. And deep down, that is what we long for — love. Not admiration, not applause. That means that to find happiness, you will need to let go of perfectionism in what you do.
Striving for contentment in the now is not the same as having no ambition or dreams. When your ambitions come from a desire for growth rather than from dissatisfaction, they can bring about positive, healthy change.
🌱 Feeling the present moment
Feel this moment.
No, not the moment that just passed — but now. Now. And now is already gone… There is only one “now,” and it constantly shifts.
I’m not trying to confuse you; I want you to feel it.
The present moment – the only moment that truly exists – can’t be captured or held. You can only experience it. When you let go of thoughts about the past and worries about the future, and become fully present in the here and now, you experience the current moment.
In the present moment, there is no possession, no materialism — and in our society, usually no hunger or cold either. There may be illness, or an emotion that touches you deeply.
Can you allow it to be there?
And can you experience this moment — the now — even if it’s brief?
Most of the time, the present moment is a gentle place, free from regret, shame, or remorse. There is no longing, fear, or expectation about what comes next. There is only now.
Now is a beautiful place. And if you can stay there, even for a little while, a deep sense of peace and contentment often settles in.
🌿 The example of Maria Callas
Take Maria Callas, the world-famous opera singer. Attending one of her performances was not without risk: she was so perfectionistic that she could collapse just before a show, lose her voice, or simply not return after the intermission — which once happened to the Italian president.
How kind was her enormous talent to her?
“She was a perfectionist, always dissatisfied with herself. Because of that, she never had a happy life,” one of her biographers said.
Perfectionism is like expectation: it can only lead to disappointment.
But why are you perfectionistic?
Often, it begins with insecurity and the fear of not being good enough. If that fear once led to being praised for doing something perfectly, the seed is planted:
“If I am perfect, I will be loved.”
And our brain adds the opposite:
“If I am not perfect, I won’t be loved.”
✨ When the mind wants a ‘better now’
What takes us out of the now is the desire for a “better” moment.
The thought that this moment would be perfect if only something were different.
A need to do something.
Dissatisfaction always brings the feeling that what is here, isn’t good enough.
But this is what there is.
So why wouldn’t it be enough?
🌸 The power of contentment
That’s why contentment is so important.
When you can be content with what is here now — even if this doesn’t seem like the most beautiful moment in your life — a certain calm comes over you. A sense of “this is okay.” You don’t need to be anything other than who you are right now.
And that is where the present moment becomes essential: that you can feel, right now, that everything is okay as it is.
From contentment to gratitude
Turn your attention to the now.
Whether you’re walking your dog or taking a warm bath — feel the present moment.
Feel the contentment with your dog, your body, the warm water.
A few small moments of contentment and gratitude each day create a foundation for a happier and more grounded life.
The more often you pause in the now, and notice all that is okay, the more deeply rooted your sense of contentment and gratitude becomes.
Love,
Margriet
Services
Yogales
Margriet geeft wekelijks yogalessen. Vind haar lessen in het rooster!
Burnout coaching
Wil je privé of in een groep begeleid worden tijdens je burnout? Het kan allebei. Check de mogelijkheden hier.
Les op locatie
Een les ‘standing yoga’ op een padelbaan of een bedrijfsworkshop? De mogelijkheden zijn eindeloos. Neem contact op!
Teacher Training
Margriet begeleidt samen met Lahma Muris de Hatha (Flow) Teacher Training die eens per twee jaar wordt gegeven.
Workshops
Margriet geeft jaarlijks workshops en cursussen in ‘Basics of Yoga‘ en een Chakracursus.
Reiki healing
Zit je laag in je energie en wil je graag je chakra’s uitgelijnd hebben? Een chakra healing geeft je weer balans in alle delen van je leven. Boek nu!
I'm Here to Help
How We Can Work Together
Heb je een vraag, loop je vast, wil je hulp? Mijn doel is om mensen te begeleiden in hun groei naar een authentieke versie van zichzelf. Je kan een intakegesprek met me inplannen zodat we samen bepalen hoe we je het beste kunnen begeleiden.
Margriet Verhagen
Margriet heeft ervaring met het begeleiden van mensen uit een Burnout, geeft yogales, opleidingen en workshops en is dagelijks te vinden op haar eigen yogamat.
