I’ve been reading a lot of motivational things lately. If you know me personally, you know that I’m not a person that reads self-help books a lot, or attend those workshops or necessarily believe in the theoretical versus the actual. I tell people I’m very grounded in reality, which sometimes can come off as cynical. Maybe it’s because of what’s happened to me in the past, or sometimes I’m just being over cautious to the point of paranoid.

I’m trying to see things more positively. I’m trying to be less sarcastic and cynical. There is just too much reality sometimes trying to grind us down to nubs and it’s not helpful being another voice in the chorus of negative Nancies.

So I try now to write down what I’m grateful for the day, or what made me happy even for a second, because every second counts. That quote that says “don’t just add years to your life, but life to your years” isn’t just something that can be brushed off, it’s something to think about. What are we living for anyway? Is it to spend all hours stressing out about things you can’t change, or is it being happy about the things you’ve accomplished? Even if it’s just getting up in the morning, sometimes life can be so overwhelmingly sad that you just want to hide under the covers and not deal with it, getting up can be a big deal. Laughing about a joke your friend made, even if it’s something that you wouldn’t necessarily laugh at. Or looking at yourself in the mirror and thinking “I don’t hate it” is a Yay! moment. 

Life is short, if you don’t pay attention it flies by and you’ve missed the important things. The milestones of people you love. The events that change lives. The opportunity to be with them, even if you have to take the extra step to do so, it’s worth it. Because that can all change in a second and all you’ll have left with is regret.

So let me start your day with a photo that’s made me grateful for a couple days:

This view, and the opportunity I was given to enjoy it, with the music I love and friends I cherish, is something that I am glad to have started the work week with.

What’s your motivation today?