When many think of gratitude, they make the switch from what we don’t have to what we have. This is the essence of what gratitude is all about: don’t focus on the lack of but focus on what we have. It’s interesting that so many people think that when you are grateful, you settle for whatever you have. Gratitude in that sense makes you stagnant. As I have always said, we should be grateful for what we have and for what we will receive.

Just because we are grateful doesn’t mean that we settle for what we have. We should use this to push ourselves forward. Yes, I’m grateful for what I have, but I want more. It doesn’t mean I’m greedy; it just means that there is more for me to achieve. If where I am and what I have are no longer serving me, then why should I sit in that situation and not try to move another step? So many think that as someone said, they have to choose between appreciation and ambition. That’s a fallacy. The two are not opposites but work together. With gratitude, we should have growth.

Gratitude becomes a problem as I said earlier when we decide that we will use it as a crutch to settle. When you say to yourself, “ I should be grateful for what I have and leave my life there. Why would you want to settle? Is it fear of failure or change? Is it the fear of stepping outside of your comfort zone? I personally don’t think that with gratitude, I must put myself in a box and not push to grow. It doesn’t have to be big jumps but small, incremental ones that push you along.

For me, gratitude is a motivator because I can appreciate where I am because I know where I’m coming from. I look back on my life and the people that have helped to shape that life because, as we know, no man is an island. When we look back, we don’t stay there; we then look forward and set goals as to where we want to go. Sometimes it’s something new or something that has always been on our bucket lists.

How do we ensure that we grow with our gratitude and not stay still? I would say we focus on our journey and the small steps we take up the mountain. Remember, your focus is not the top of the mountain but the next step. With each step, we get closer to the top. Not only will we get to the top, but we will also know there is so much more to achieve. Looking back shows what we have achieved and the challenges that we faced and can do again. We know that the challenges we overcame can propel us forward because they are just steps to the next level. They were lessons that were learnt, and we use them to step out in faith.

As I said, you can’t do this alone, so always remember to keep the right people around you. Stay away from the energy vampires and the naysayers because they won’t understand why you are grateful and want to grow. At the end of the day, it’s your life, and you have to live your best life. Take care of yourself and don’t allow anyone to determine what you should achieve.

Let me know what you think; I really want to know, and I am sure others do too. Try commenting 👍🏽, but if you are not comfortable, reach out to me via any medium. I would love it if you would say something, anything, and tell someone. 🙏🏽 Your comments let me know how you feel and very often give me a totally different perspective on the topic. It could also spawn another blog. 😉. And you can never tell your comment might help others. Always remember life is for living, and you must always live your best life. #lifeisforliving #liveyourbestlife #gratefulforlife #faithgreaterthanfear

See you next Wednesday at 8:00 p.m., Bogotá time.