To be Great is to be Grateful

When you look around you, do you take what you have for granted? The natural reaction is probably no. I want you to really think about it. Do you like the car you drive? Are you happy with your body weight? Did you go to work today? These may seem like simple questions to answer, but they test motives and what we value.

This morning, I went to visit my mom for a little bit. Our conversation started as it always does. Questions pertaining to Toastmasters, preparing for teaching in the fall, and about my every day life emerged. Out of no where, she disclosed a shocking detail to me. A couple my mom's family have known for years lost everything in a house fire. Imagine working all of your life for the things you've wanted and needed. One day, it's all gone. Homeowners insurance can cover partial damage, but it cannot replace memories, photographs, personal items close to your heart, and pets. 

After she disclosed this to me, it made me realize how grateful I am for everything I have in my life. I will admit that I sometimes look at life from a negative angle. For example, I am waiting for the school year to begin. Once it begins, I will bring in an income again. At the moment, I impatiently wait for the start of the new year. However, I know that a job does await me. I have to practice patience. 

At this moment, I think about the moment my mom and I were in the same room together. That's a precious moment. I will never get that moment back. I could lose her at any time. I don't want to think about that right now. At some point, it will be a reality.

What I am saying is that it is important to be grateful for everything you have. It may seem like a tiny sprinkle on top of a giant cake, but that tiny sprinkle has meaning. Enjoy it. In fact, savor it. Time will only tell when that moment will be over.

Recognize Greatness

Do you set goals for yourself? If so, how large or small do they seem? How long will it take to achieve them? When you achieve your goals, how do you feel afterwards? Do you feel proud? What happens when others don't recognize them? How does it make you feel? You may be the type of person who doesn't need approval from others to feel worthy or the type of person who needs to hear kind words from other people when you achieve greatness. If you crave recognition, or know of someone who does, then stay tuned.

Let's take a look at me. I've always been a goal setter and goal achiever. When I achieve one goal, I will set the next one and achieve it. Each time I achieve my goals, it's a mini victory for me. However, the victory doesn't always seem victorious. When I achieve a goal, I want my accomplishment to be recognized by other people. Unfortunately, more times than not, this doesn't happen. If you can relate to me, then you know how upsetting this is. However, I've learned a few things and would like to share them with you. This is not a comprehensive list. These are themes that have come up in my life:

-No one will ever be prouder of your accomplishments than you. You spend so much time following through on your goals. Unless someone is empathetically connected with you, then don't expect others to be as proud as you.

-There are the occasional jealous people who do see your greatness. They will purposely try to bring you down because they want what you have. If this happens, avoid these people as much as you can.

-There are people who do see greatness, but won't give recognition because they think you hear it all the time.

-Don't achieve goals solely for external recognition. If you crave recognition because of insecurities, I recommend working on improving your overall wellness. I say this because I've had to work on this. 

Keeping these things in mind, here's what I want you to take away from this list. If you don't need to be recognized, know that there are people who do. Simply saying "Congratulations" can do wonders to one's self-confidence. Recognition Kings and Queens, please listen to this carefully: You are amazing. Everything you do is worth recognizing as greatness. You are worthy of everything you've ever accomplished in your life. Please see it in yourself. Recognize your own greatness. When you do, you will become a happy, self-sufficient, and confident person.

Give a Little, Give a Lot

Let's take a trip down memory lane. Think back to your high school and/or college days. When you were in school, did you strive to achieve certain goals? Did you want to be the star athlete? Would it make you happy to become Class President or Homecoming Queen? How bad did you want to achieve your goals? If it's a goal you set, then you probably wanted to conquer it. When it was time to conquer, did you follow through? Really, did you truly put your foot down and give it your all?

If you're having a difficult time answering my questions, let me help you. When I was in high school, I secretly wanted to run for Class President. Did I go for it? Nope! Why? It was my fear of being told no and because I wasn't popular. In college, I wanted to train for the Miss America pageant. Did I go through with it? Nope! Why? I didn't think I was pretty enough, fit enough, or intelligent enough. I was capable of being trained, but I didn't think anyone would support such an endeavor. Post graduate school, I had the opportunity to teach English in China. It was an all expenses paid trip. All I had to cover was my personal expenses. Did I take the opportunity? Nope! Why? I let someone's opinion of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity impact my decision. I didn't try to go through with it after hearing his opinion. 

In the examples I mentioned in the previous paragraph, I wanted to achieve my goals, but I didn't even try. I allowed the opinions of others to affect my self-concept, which contributed to me giving no effort to achieving my goals. Had I gave even a little bit, I would have known whether or not I was cut out to achieve my goals. I don't regret any decision I've made in my life. The decisions I've made have impacted who I am today.

I am a stronger person now than I was in the past. If I want to achieve something, I give everything I have in me to achieve my goals. There are still situations that scare me and make me question whether or not I am worthy of achieving a goal. When this happens, I will give a little bit. After that, I will give a little more. Eventually, I will achieve them.

The moral of the story is to try. When you want to tackle a goal, regardless of the size, give a little effort. Each time you give a little effort, it becomes easier to give more effort. Eventually, you will give a lot. You will get what you put into achieving your goals. Goals may not be achieved the first time, but no one can ever say that you didn't give. 

Make Today Count

Hold your breath for 10 seconds. After 10 seconds, release. What did you think when you held your breath? If you're like me, you may have counted down the number of seconds in your head. It's as if you knew you would stop holding your breath and would start to breath normal again. When you held your breath, did you think about the possibility of not breathing again?

How many times have you uttered comments that involve doing something tomorrow, planning for the future, or telling someone that you will see s/he later? If you really think about it, it probably happens more often than you realize. It seems normal to talk about the future, as if we know it will happen. What if the future doesn't happen? What happens if life flashes before our eyes and we don't realize it?

As scary as it may seem, there is no guarantee that you will live tomorrow. As humans, we rationalize our lives based on factors we can or cannot control. For example, genetically, people live to be in their 90s in my family. I don't smoke cigarettes, use illegal substances, rarely drink alcohol, and don't eat too many foods that aren't good for me. I don't participate in wild activities and am cautious about the decisions I make. Based on this information, it is probable that I will live to see tomorrow. Even then, there is no guarantee I will.

Each day, people pass away unexpectedly, watch life through a camera lens, or spend all their time planning for the days ahead. Before they realize it, life has passed by at the speed of lightening. At this point, people may live with regret or look back and wished they had lived a different life.

You don't have to take today for granted. It is important to be a responsible adult, but sometimes it is necessary to smell the flowers and enjoy the moment. The moment will not last forever, but the moment will shape the rest of your life.