“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.”  

Melodie Beattie

I came across this quote a few years ago and I turn to it a lot when discussing gratitude.    I began wondering about the idea of chasing down my best life and always wanting more. There is a fine line between wanting the most out of life and not ever being satisfied.  Right in the middle sits gratitude.

If we are continually in the mindset of being grateful for where we are in our lives, where we have been and where our journey might take us we begin to feel the fullness; the essence of really living.

I had a conversation with someone this week and they were taking stock of their life.  They felt there had been periods during the last year where there had perhaps been wasted time.  This individual is not someone who lets any grass grow under her feet, so it shocked me to hear that she felt unproductive and was questioning whether she was navigating her path in the right way.

Our path is what we choose each day.  How we choose to live is determined by every action or inaction that we take daily.  We are going to have days that aren’t full, days that make us choose differently tomorrow.  They all matter because they make us who we are today.

Wanting more out of yourself and out of life is different from not being happy, content, or satisfied.  Striving for more and at the same time being grateful for where you are right now is the key.  Maybe your heart is broken, maybe you feel like your life depends on the next decision you make, or maybe your life has just encountered a major detour.  Be grateful for the lessons being learned and where your journey is about to take you.

Sunshine & Sarcasm,

Lowi & G