Sometimes it is easy to get caught up in feeling less than adequate. We look at some of the famous people of the world, people who have reached out and touched humanity, and compare ourselves to them. This person made great scientific discoveries, or this person was already wealthy by my age, or this person gave up everything in order to help orphans in a distant country, or this person published 2 novels by age of 30. Even less-than famous people – perhaps your neighbour has travelled extensively while you’ve barely been outside of your home town. We look at other’s lives and feel compelled to live up to a false standard, then look for reasons we haven’t achieved our unrealistic goals: maybe we had children young, or never met the right person, or maybe we didn’t receive further education. The truth is it is okay to be us, and what is more, it is okay to love our life the way it is right now.

We all have our part to play in society. We are all necessary. The world is filled with people of all different types and all different talents. It wouldn’t be a good thing if we all set out to cure cancer – who would feed the people, make clothes, stock shelves, engineer safe bridges, enter payroll, or nurse the sick in the meantime?

Appreciation: noun – the recognition and enjoyment of the good qualities of someone or something

Be you. There is nothing shameful about walking your path of life. Don’t think you have to reach a certain point before you matter. Where ever we find ourselves in life, we can find ways to do what we do well. We can brighten up someone’s day with a kind word or smile. Stop comparing yourself to your neighbour.  Grass might appear greener on the other side, but sometimes all we need to do is appreciate our own grass and give it a little care.

It might surprise us to find out who is looking at our life with a little envy, while we are looking at theirs and thinking they have everything all pulled together. The frazzled mother with little children might be watching longingly the woman going about her grocery shopping unencumbered, while that woman might be looking at the mother and children wishing for warm hugs and a little hand to slip into hers.  If we could show everyone a bit of compassion and leniency for their unknown struggles and inner turmoil, it won’t just help them along, it will enrich our own lives.

This doesn’t mean you need to give up dreams and aspirations – goals give us something to hope for and help us put our feet on the floor in the morning – but in the meantime, be thankful for the small things in your life and don’t count them as nothing. Love your life right now.