Sometimes it’s good to be at peace with the present. Right where you are here and now. So often in this digitally driven world, we have a tendency to compare… to covet… to self-doubt. We see another acquaintance from high school get a promotion, we see one more friend from college get engaged, we see celebrities glorified on TV and worshipped on Twitter. We want it. All of it. I think there’s a difference between striving to be better – to be the best YOU – and climbing a ladder that is not your own only to find out nothing’s at the top. I often find myself climbing the wrong ladders, reaching for the wrong hands, and falling… flat on my face: Not because I didn’t give it my all, but because that particular ladder was not my ladder to climb.

It’s important that we connect with the ground we are standing on, learn to dig our heals in and feel the earth beneath us. Even though we are not where we hope to be some day, we are here. We are present. And we are loved by someone much bigger than ourselves. I have yet to master this but I honestly believe the only way to move forward in life is to embrace the present with an open heart and give yourself the freedom to dream with no pressure.

Stop trying to acquire a bigger house, a better car, a happier life, and be grateful for what you have, where you are, and who you’ve been blessed with along the way … Then, give with an open heart, an open mind, and a positive soul … because what you put out in the universe, you’ll get back in blessings.