Following my yearly eye exam I had earlier this week, I left my doctor's office feeling woozy and out-of-sorts. My pupils had to be dilated during the examination and for several hours that followed, I was utterly dizzy, nauseous and off-balance. I started to think about certain aspects of my life that I still take for granted and only when I was back home and feeling safe, was I able to let my mind wander and really focus on what was truly important. That I have a home, clothing to wear, food to eat, a husband to love, family to admire and life to celebrate.
Which brings me to my 'rant' of the day; true appreciation for things, even when the going gets tough. Let me elaborate...
The expression, 'the grass is always greener on the other side', is no longer true in my world. I would never want to trade my problems with someone else's. I'd rather keep what I've got and make the most of it, thank you very much. Here is an example, just from this week alone...
This week at work, I chatted with several ladies about the concept of ageing gracefully. It was eye-opening, to say the least. While I found the chats to be somewhat enlightening, I was deeply saddened for some of these gals, as I heard their tales of 'woe-is-me'. Two of them were highlighting their complete disdain for certain parts of their bodies and it threw me for a bit of a loop. I couldn't figure out why these two perfectly fit and pretty ladies were so hard on themselves and why they allowed a small imperfection to spoil their outlook on life.
And then, it hit me when I was back at home, mulling it over. Universally, I think women (and men) would prefer to be validated on a regular basis by others, rather than have to boost their own egos themselves. I believe what we all see individually is NOT at all what others see as a whole. I believe that all the kudos, compliments, accolades and affirmations mean nothing, if the person hearing it doesn't believe any of it. What a shame, indeed.
You see, I was exactly like these two gals, once. I had a horrible outlook on life and my self-confidence was next to nil. If I were praised for a job well done, or complimented on my outfit, or envied for my natural hair color, nothing would penetrate the concrete wall I had built in my mind. I had lost my appreciation for the little things, which in retrospect, were really the important things.
How did it all happen, that society continues to drill mixed messages into our heads about how things should be? Why does the media have to be the driving force behind our value and self-worth as human beings? Well, it doesn't have to be that way, ever again. You can switch off that television, radio, loud-mouthed co-worker, negative friend, whiny family member, and so on. You don't have to play into all that fluff and nonsense.
Having a firm belief in yourself, a sincere appreciation for what you currently have and living your truth--that's what life is about. Taking time to literally smell the roses, having a solid friendship and family base, pure laughter, your health--have you lost appreciation for these things? We all do it and we all lose our way, sometimes. Some of us have the amazing ability to light our own fires and move onward, but a lot of us need booster shots from other sources. Use that energy and let it fuel you to reach higher than you ever thought you could.
I love the expression, 'happiness is an inside job'. In the end, no one can light the way for you. You have to appreciate the person you are today, to appreciate the person you will become tomorrow. Never lose sight of the big picture. The small, insignificant things will inevitably disappear into the cosmos, but the most vital things will last forever.
Go ahead and squeeze the juice out of life.
