Quotes For Thoughts | Remember When You Wanted What You Currently Have

Long time no blogging, friends! I hope you have had a gentle, safe start to 2019 and are quietly working on what you want to achieve.

I’ve been a bit quiet on the blogging front simply because I have been busy working, and this has made me reconsider my commitments. I’m hoping that content will continue from here on out, but there’s no need to put any pressure on it right now.

As I have been settling into this new year and working as much as possible, I’ve been thinking a lot about my progress over the past few years. It’s not news to anyone who has been here before that I’ve had a weird couple of years and it all seemed to come to a head in 2018.

Don’t worry, this isn’t an invitation to yet another pity party – I know I’m not the only one who is having these reflections and my time certainly hasn’t been that bad in comparison to others.

But it is an invitation to a gratitude party, if I can make that a thing.

RETURNING TO THE NOW

If you’re like me and you’re into wellness content, then you’ll be sick to the back teeth of ‘gratitude’. It is a word that gets thrown around a lot in these circles, making it’s true meaning unreachable.

I’m not going to suggest that you start noting down all the things you’re grateful for or even recommend that you should start saying ‘thank you’ more, although if you think it’ll make you happier then go for it!

I instead want to talk about using gratitude, that is feeling grateful, to help us return to the present moment.

gratitude 

noun

1. the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.

As an avid overthinker, I find myself getting caught up in the past – the mistakes I made, the things I’d change or obsessing over the good times – or anxious about the future so often. The present doesn’t seem to exist for me.

This isn’t a great mind space to live in and has left me feeling burnt-out, anxious and sad.

It was only when I actually thought about what I have in my life – my current job, my friendships, my relationships and my new puppy – that I realised how happy I should be. How happy I actually am.

REMEMBER WHEN YOU WANTED WHAT YOU CURRENTLY HAVE

As a teenager, I dreamed for the things I have in my life now.

I was desperate to get a degree, to get a writing job.

I wanted a loving partner who was kind and supportive.

I wanted friends who cared about me, with whom I could do fun things with.

I was desperate for a puppy, for a little furry friend who would force me to exercise.

The current twenty-something year-old me has all of these things – and more. Yet I find myself constantly lusting after the next big thing and feeling like a failure because I don’t have it yet.

I haven’t actually taken the time to think about what I do have, what I’ve achieved and where I am now. And when I look at the person I am today, and how much I wanted to be her when I was a pre-teen, I feel pretty amazing.

I feel grateful.

I’d recommend you to take a moment and actually look at everything you have in your life right now.

Would 13 year-old you be happy? What did they want out of life?

What are you grateful for?

Speak soon,

Rachael