I’m grateful for a wonderful holiday week with family and friends. I’m grateful for a laid back Christmas day and an extraordinary Christmas dinner at my former spouse’s house. I’m grateful for the music in The Greatest Showman and the humor in Jumanji. I’m grateful for spending the day in the city with my daughter and her boyfriend. I’m grateful to celebrate New Year’s Eve with my daughters and my close friends out of state for the 2nd year in a row.

 

What I am most grateful for is, this past year. Life always has it’s ups and downs, bumps and bruises, but all in all, 2017 has been a terrific year for me. I never would have guessed my life would turn around. Part of that experience has been learning to finally step outside my story, continue working on self-love, stay present in the now, and appreciating life rather than dwelling on my pain. A lot of that has been writing about my struggles, growing through my writing, and my hope that my Fledglings will also rise from the ashes, become reborn, and soar with the eagles. This blog for me was what I needed to help me improve.

 

When I look back at what I had planned to accomplish over the year, there are still many areas I want to focus on; goals I have yet to achieve. And yet, I know, eventually I’ll get there. Two steps forward and one step back. A year ago I saw that as failure. Today I see it as growth. It’s all a matter of perspective.

 

 

 

A few months ago, on my very short trip to Hawaii, I found a book that was on my must read list, The Alchemist. I devoured that book on the flight back to the mainland. As I’ve done with many of my books, I marked it up, underlining important passages and writing comments in the margins. I still plan to blog what I’ve learned from that reading.

 

A couple of weeks ago I found this blog on the Fearless Motivation website titled, 10 Quotes From the Alchemist that Remind You to Follow Your Heart. Makes me want to pick up that book again and reread it.

 

My favorite quote in this list is:

 

“I don’t live in either my past or my future. I’m interested only in the present. If you can concentrate always on the present, you’ll be a happy man. Life will be a party for you, a grand festival, because life is the moment we’re living now.”

 

Eckhart Tolle’s book The Power of Now emphasizes the importance of living in the present, not dwelling on the past letting the past define who you are today nor worrying about what the future will bring. I discussed this in my blog, What Is Can Become.

 

A year ago, all I could hear were words and theories. And, no matter how hard I tried, I could not shake my demons from my past nor could I stop the distress I had when I thought about my future life. I struggled and struggled to stay present, not believing I could. And, as I’ve learned, we create what we believe. All my energy was on my past and my future.

 

Today, I’m present. I mean I’m not always present. That’s a continual work in progress. However, I’m not plagued by what I did in the past nor what I believed was done to me. I’m not future tripping.

 

I’m right here, where I’m supposed to be. One day at a time. And, by searching out the grateful in my life, I am enjoying the life I live immensely.

 

Check out the 10 Quotes From the Alchemist that Remind You to Follow Your Heart. Heck, don’t read the spoilers, read the book instead. Make that your New Year’s resolution!

 

Pursue your dreams. Find gratitude. And stay present in the Now.