Reflection, Gratitude, Presence
approx. 4 min. read
Reflection & Gratitude
Through the ups and downs of the previous years, I find myself being very grateful. With the “ups” holding lifelong memories and the “downs” forcing me to learn the hard way, I’ve evolved many times in such a short period. I can thank my developing brain for assisting me, but navigating life in my mid-20s has been a strenuous journey—a tear-jerking, coming-of-age drama filled with friendship, adventure, betrayal, and self-development. Nonetheless, I’m so grateful because growth continues to make my life easier and more fulfilling each day.
It’s not only the unpredictable moments that later lead to my growth but also how I react during and after those shocking moments. Disappointment shouldn’t be followed by prolonged inaction. After allowing myself to feel deeply, I must push forward because I know my life is meant to be progressive and radiant. And as time passed, I became stronger, working weak muscles with the burden of adversity to build the strength I needed in my current reality.
Nothing I do goes undone, though I used to think “What’s the point?”, because months and years later, I see and feel the results of my hard work. After each epiphany, I made the hard choice to change. I decided to listen to my intuition the first time, releasing the stupidity, jealousy, and desperation clinging to me, draining my life, only to be proven right when the heavy weight was lifted from within! I’ll never know how many negative experiences I’ve avoided because I chose better for myself, though I may have appeared mean or selfish. And when unfortunate matters arise, I’m strong enough to handle them properly and move on.
Gratitude & Presence
I spend a lot of time in my head, daydreaming, planning, worrying. Even when I’m out in the world, among others or alone, I find myself in deep thought about things that do not matter in the present moment. And though my head has been a much better space these days, I wish to spend less time inside of it.
I’m ready to be present. Usually, my body is on autopilot while I’m deep in thought, sometimes it’s the other way around, but I desire to be present with my mind and body as much as possible. When I bake, I want to indulge my senses as I follow a recipe. When I’m out in the world, I want to take my time and notice everything, not in an anxious way, but in a way full of admiration and reflection. There’s no rush, there’s no harm, there’s nothing besides what is in front of me. That’s how I want to live.
With being present, there is much less time to yearn. While I’m so grateful for all I have, I often want more or something different, which is okay despite what people say. They say that if you always want something bigger or better you should just be grateful for what you have. While yearning and gratitude are connected, gratitude shouldn’t equate to being complacent or stagnant. I imagine gratitude is the first step to acquiring what you want; how can one ask for more when they don’t fully acknowledge what is in front of them? (Ah-ha!) Presence is key!
Moving Through 2025 and Beyond
With reflection and presence, I’m learning the different sides of gratitude. On one hand, I thank the ups and downs of life, and I thank myself for navigating them. On the other hand, I want to spend more energy being present and thanking the world around me simply by acknowledging it. I sense 2025 is full of energy and discipline, so I’ll have plenty of reasons to build these new skills and put them to use.
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