Things to Remember

It's strange how quickly we get used to the things we once wanted so badly. Something that once felt distant or even impossible finally becomes part of our lives, and after a while, we stop seeing it as something special. It simply becomes normal. Our attention moves on to the next goal, the next problem, the next thing we want to change, and we forget that there was once a version of us hoping to have some of the things we barely notice today.

I think that's why gratitude requires intention. There is a past version of me who would probably be amazed by parts of the life I barely notice anymore.

There will always be another goal. Another dream. Another version of the future calling me forward. But I don't want to spend my entire life looking toward the horizon and forgetting to notice the ground beneath my feet.

Being grateful for that doesn't mean I have to stop wanting more.

Gratitude and ambition can coexist.

We spend so much time trying to make our future selves happy that we can forget about the younger version of us who once dreamed about the life we are living right now.

I invite you to take some time to actually remember who you were, not just your age or where you lived, but the person inside that life. Go back to your past self. Remember what they wanted, what they feared, what felt impossible at the time, and the little things they hoped would someday be different. If you have old journals, photos, messages, letters, or playlists, revisit them occasionally. You may be surprised by how many things you once wished for have quietly become part of your everyday life.

And then, write to your future self today. Tell them who you are right now. What are you dreaming about? What are you struggling with? What are you working toward? What feels uncertain? What are the small, ordinary things you love about your life at this exact moment?

Write down what you hope they have accomplished, but also what you hope they haven't forgotten. Leave them a little piece of who you are today, because one day they may need the same reminder you need now.

We can be grateful and still want more. We can appreciate where we are while continuing to grow. We can acknowledge what is beautiful without pretending that everything is perfect. Gratitude doesn't mean being satisfied with everything, sometimes it simply means not allowing what we have to become invisible just because we've grown accustomed to having it.

So take a moment and look around:

What part of your life today would make a past version of you smile and say, “We made it”?