“May you acknowledge how far you’ve come, so you can finally be proud of your growth.” ~ Unknown

I may be the single biggest offender of this statement, and not just for myself, but also for what I share with you—and for that, I am sorry. Looking forward is extremely important, but looking back can be equally important AS LONG AS we don’t look back through the lens of regret, bitterness, anger, and disappointment because these negatively charged emotions rarely serve us well. These emotions will often support our feelings of victimhood, life is not fair, and why me, which only makes moving forward that much more difficult.

Today, we are going to look back, purposefully, so we can acknowledge how far we’ve come. Take the time to remember that at some point in your life you dreamed of being where you are right now! And that dream came true, maybe even better than you’d imagined. Don’t fixate on the imperfections or qualify your success with the phrase I hate the most: “Yes, but…”. Simply soak in all the accomplishments and progress you’ve made thus far. Let some positively charged emotions rise up in you like gratitude and pride.

Now pick a few things that you can look back on right now and say this: “Wow, I’m really proud of myself for that!” This exercise is a quick way to help us detoxify our mind from our negative thoughts. If we are always focused on what we have yet to accomplish and never look back to say, “Heck, yeah!,” then we never refuel the tank. Think of looking back as a pitstop; everything gets recharged and our “vehicle” is as good as new! And if you and I have been able to accomplish this much so far, imagine what we’re capable of? Now that’s what I’m talking about!! You’re amazing and don’t you forget it!

With Gratitude,

Beth