Sometimes as we look forward, set goals and grow, it can be difficult to recognize progress over time….and then also have gratitude for what is happening now.
Can we be grateful for exactly where we are AND continue to strive toward leveling up, bettering ourselves and pursuing more growth?
It's a big ask. A quarterly gratitude practice is not nearly enough for that!
I spend a significant amount of time planning. I bet that you do too.
I plan quarterly for home and for work, build a weekly action plan for home and work. I plan my workouts. That only tells me what I need to be doing at any given time.
I happen to be in a season of life where I plan for my family as well. You may not have small school aged kids at home but I bet you have several balls in the air that require some forward thinking.
Household planning? Volunteer? Community events? Caretaking of others?
That means all of us are dedicating a lot of time to looking ahead.
On top of that, your growth journey will lead you to set new goals and challenges for yourself. What could a better XX look like? How can I level up XX?
Life and growth don't lend themselves easily to being grateful with right where we are today. We have to be intentional about it.
So how can we keep gratitude more front of mind during all that looking ahead?
Reflection - for me, it looks like purposeful time but not always quiet time. I need carved out time to stop my mind and body to think about the best things about my day or week.
I'd love this reflection time to always be quiet, cozy time but that just isn't realistic. This fall, some of my reflection time is going to be on the sidelines at football practice. And that's real life.
Maybe for you, it's a morning or evening routine or time when you are walking or driving. Make time to reflect when you can get it.
Reflection offers us the opportunity to see the good in where we are today and over time.
Take note or take a picture when something strikes you. I know there is a TED talk on savoring a moment rather than taking a picture of it so that you can remember it. I'm not going to cite it because frankly, that doesn't work for me.
I need the picture sometimes because otherwise, I may not remember how something made me feel in the moment.
So I say, take the picture. If I take note enough to snap the picture, I will remember what about it was worthy of noting.
Savor all the experiences.... as they happen and you recognize them.
Mindset shift: Live for the here and now, when it matters to you. Not everything is important - you decide for you. Bookmark the times where you want to be present and be there only.
While planning and challenging ourselves to level up have so many benefits, the looking forward cannot always trump the here and now. Be aware of the times that matter to you allow your mind to focus there during that time.
Gratitude front of mind, when you want to be most present.
The answer is an overwhelming, “Yes!”. We can keep gratitude front of mind while still pursing growth.
Give energy to the goodness of now and let that fuel your growth over time.
We can be grateful for exactly where we are AND continue to strive toward leveling up, bettering ourselves and pursuing more growth.
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