How often do we sit back relax, admire, and show gratitude for all that we have? This is the question that came to my mind this past weekend. No matter how big or small, we all have many things to be thankful for. I always find myself on the go, jumping from one event or activity to the next or thinking about the next 20 things I need to get done. I am sure many of you can relate. This past Monday I changed it up and took some time to reflect. This is what I concluded: Yes, it’s important to always improve and strive to get ahead, but there should be balance and we should also look back at how far we have come and all that’s been accomplished.
With life going 100 miles per hour it can be hard to remember all of the little wins. For instance, waking up in the morning. It is sad to say but that is not a guarantee in life although many of us take it for granted. On top of that, getting out of bed. There are many out there who suffer from depression or other illnesses that may stay in bed for days at a time. Once I am out of bed, the first thing I go looking for is food. I am blessed to say that I have a stocked fridge and full pantry. Again, not the case for all. So remember, when you wake up late next time and miss a morning workout it’s not the end of the world, at least you woke up and are able to get out of bed.
My next point is don’t be so hard on yourself. Yes, we all want to grow and be the best in what we do and there is nothing wrong with that. As some of you know, I work a full-time job, go to graduate school, train about 10 hours a week, and just launched this business. You could say I am a very motivated and driven individual. These are two great qualities and I look for them in friends and other people I surround myself with. That being said, sometimes I become frustrated and annoyed with myself for not accomplishing enough. For example, I have worked at the same company for over 8 years. Part of me thinks I should have left by now and I have become too complacent. On the other hand, when I take a step back, I see that I have had the opportunity to grow there and have been given much autonomy. This may not be the case if I go to a new company. This job has also provided me with the means to start my own business. So although I want to continue to grow professionally, I have also had the opportunity to grow immensely and am at a point were I am making more in my late twenties then some will make at the peak of their career. I say this not to brag, but to put things into perspective. Yes I want to continue to go further but if for what ever reason that does not happen, I have already come a long way. Hopefully you can look at your situations and see it in that light.
This brings me to my last point about staying humble, but hungry. If we solely define our lives by are accomplishments and possessions we’ll never find true happiness. The same thing can be said about those always chasing the next thing. Like I stated before, I don’t think there is anything wrong with wanting to improve and be the best, I am one of those people, but there needs to be a balance of drive and gratitude. This is why I have decided I personally need to work on the gratitude part. Something new I am going to start doing is waking up and listing the things I am thankful for. I think this is a great way to start off the day and get in a positive head space.
I hope you enjoyed reading this post and it got you pondering the things you are grateful for. If it didn’t, maybe take a few minutes out of your week and write down the things you are grateful for and all of the wins you have, not matter how small.
Succeeding, Improving, & Repeating.
Andrew Davila,
Finite Fitness Founder