I find myself struggling to appreciate where I am at in life and I am constantly thinking about what life would be like once I accomplish my end goal. If you’re like me, it is important to remind yourself that at some point in the past you would have done anything to be where you are today even though you haven’t reached what you think is your final destination; if you are in a worse spot than you were, then I am here to remind you to appreciate the wisdom you have gained. Anyone else have thoughts on this?

Recently in my life I have been involved in more activities that can feel daunting, difficult, and in the moment sometimes redundant. Whether in the weight room, workplace, classroom, etc. I have noticed myself, along with many others, begin to approach these activities as a tedious and unfortunate chore that I just need to check off the list to gain a gold star to stick on my forehead. It has been an intentional effort of mine to begin to feel grateful for all these moments, and feed on them going forward and here is why: “Anyone can love a flower, but it takes a certain mindset to love a leaf. It’s ordinary to appreciate the beautiful, but it is beautiful to love and appreciate the ordinary.” Some examples in life that I have noticed when I have appreciated the ordinary, and considered it a blessing: -What a blessing to get to wake up this early -What a blessing to have to get to sleep early -What a blessing to be this busy -What a blessing to have a drained social battery -What a blessing to get to learn this much -What a blessing to be able to complete this difficult workout -What a blessing to feel bloated from overeating -What a blessing to have this many people to miss -What a blessing to be exhausted after a long day of work -What a blessing to feel scared about the future Some of these may feel rough in the moment, but realizing the reasons for which you are doing these things can remind you why they are so worth while, and why for that reason you are so blessed.

This is a reminder to myself mostly and to anyone else who may skew towards getting caught up in the stresses of day to day life…. We have it so unbelievably good. Even amidst our pains and fears and uncertainties, life is so full. Our time here is just a blip. Steward relationships. Get sunshine. Move your body. Take risks. Get back up when you fall down. Take a deep breath. Zoom out.

The north wind and the sun were disputing which was the stronger, and agreed to acknowledge as the victor whichever of them could strip a traveler of his clothing. The wind tried first. But its violent gusts only made the man hold his clothes tightly around him, and when it blew harder still the cold made him so uncomfortable that he put on an extra wrap. Eventually the wind got tired of it and handed him over to the sun. The sun shone first with a moderate warmth, which made the man take off his topcoat. Then it blazed fiercely, till, unable to stand the heat, he stripped and went off to bathe in a nearby river. Persuasion is far more effective than force. Fables, Aesop, 6th century B.C.

When you shower in the morning, you think about what you will make for breakfast and if you will have time. While walking to work or class, you think about how much work you have to do after you get out. While walking back you think about how good the weekend will feel and all the fun you will have. While at the gym you think about what you can make for dinner and how much time that will take. When spending time with friends, you think about how much you are spreading yourself thin to get what you need to get done. While laying to bed you think about how you will have to do it all again tomorrow. When the weekend finally comes, you think of the beginning of next week and the work you will have to do all over again. If the present is what determines the future, and we are always dwelling or stressing about our future, how can we be effective in the present? Because a focus on the present is what can create a more peaceful future rather than one that looks the same as the present.