It is laughably easy to forget to stop and take stock of how far we have come in our lives. Our world focuses so much on what we lack - be it money, beauty, prestige, or romantic success - that it is far too common for us to get trapped in the loop of needing to have, be or do "more" before thinking that we might be good enough.
Some tips to help you see how far you've come:
1. Sit down and breathe. - It's hard to hear the truth when a thousand voices and worries are circling through your mind. Taking just five minutes to sit down and let the voices become quiet can make a huge difference.
2. Ask yourself, "Where was I this time last year? Five years ago? Ten? - You will be surprised by your answers. Change comes slowly, so it can be hard to see it, but it's always happening whether we see it or not.
3. Review your notes. - If you keep a journal or blog, reread some of your old entries. You'll find written evidence (in your own hand!) of just how far you've come when you see what was upsetting you back then.
4. Make a list of you accomplishments from the last year of the last five years. - No matter how small or significant it seems, write them down! Then look at that list and reflect on just how much you've done.
5. Ask a friend or loved one. - We can be our own worst critics, so sometimes those close to us have a clearer view of how much we've grown than we have ourselves. If it feels awkward to ask someone to tell you nice things about yourself, offer to return the favor.
6. Track the personal, not just the professional. - Remember that not all progress is related to your career. How have your relationships, your spirituality, or your self-knowledge improved?
7. Celebrate the little things. - As you go about your day, try to notice when you take even the smallest step toward your goals, and be sure to honor that in some way. Even just writing it down in your journal will give you that moment of recognition.
8. Realize that it's never done. - We all want to reach the top of the mountain and feel that we have achieved something. We want to be finished, but that's never going to happen; our lives are constant work in progress, which is the way it ought to be. You'd be bored if you weren't constantly changing and growing.
Whatever you are working towards, and however far you still have to go, I encourage you to take the time to truly bask in everything you have achieved thus far.
It doesn't matter if you are moving fast or slow, only that you keep moving! And the best way to ensure that you continue to do that is to cherish each step along the way.
Courtesy of tinybuddha.com.
-J.Couture
