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
I stumbled upon this quote recently, and it actually stopped me in my tracks.
For those of us who are driven, perfectionistic, or just hardwired to keep “doing better,” this one hits close to home.
It’s so easy to live in the “next.”
The next goal.
The next step.
The next version of ourselves that will finally feel like enough.
For most of my life, I’ve lived with one foot in the future — scanning for what could go wrong, or planning how to improve what’s already working.
Life was like one big strategy game, and I felt like I had to stay three moves ahead.
But lately, I’ve been practicing something different. I am trying to focus on what is already here. Yes, gratitude.
And when I pause long enough, I see that I’m living inside so many things I once only hoped for — meaningful work, connection, and more joy.
It’s the same for my clients. I often remind them to take stock in how far they’ve come. Not just the tangible results, but the quiet inner shifts: more confidence, more compassion, less fear.
Gratitude isn’t about pretending everything’s perfect. It’s about noticing that this moment already holds so much of what we once wished for.
It’s easy to get triggered by the bombardment of “stuff” and the curated lives we see on social media. There will always be someone or something that is: Bigger, better, faster, thinner, richer, or just seemingly luckier.
But pausing to take stock of what you already have and how far you have come is where the magic lives.
What in your life today was once just a dream and is now your reality? I’d love to hear from you.
Wishing you a fantastic day!
-Jackie
