gratitude

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”

-Epicurus

It’s easy to forget where you were a few years ago and what the past version of your Self was hoping to become. Today, you’re fixated on what the future version of your Self might look like, and you are missing the opportunity to appreciate where you stand today.

The Stoics may not fully agree with me here, but it is ok to be aspirational and think about who you want to become and what you want to do in the future—you need to know this so you can see that version and believe in it; otherwise, you cannot become it.

But do not become so fixated on the future that you miss out on the present. Your present life was once the future life you envisioned—the younger you is proud of who you have become.

I’ve found this balance to be a difficult practice of manifesting the future version of my Self and being present to enjoy the great life I have today. I have noticed the more I have practiced gratitude, the easier it has been to remain present, and as I look back over journal entries, the future that I wrote that I wanted took care of itself the more I enjoyed the present moment. I set the vision and direction for my future Self and focused on enjoying where I was along the way to becoming that version of my Self.

I’m still early in this experiment of balance, but the results are encouraging.

"When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love."

- Marcus Aurelius

See you tomorrow and keep pursuing,

JC