Often, we focus more on those things we don’t have rather than appreciating the gifts and abundance that we do have.

Emotionally—and energetically—there is a huge difference between yearning and appreciating. There is even a huge difference between yearning and wanting. We can want to be happy—and believe that it is possible—and can use that to fill us with positive emotion to motivate us further along our path.

Yearning is focused on what you don’t have and the feeling that you have to have it to be fulfilled. It is the difference between allowing life-giving energy to flow through you and shutting that energy down to a trickle. It it putting off being happy instead of being happy right now.

Today is day five of my gratitude challenge and the assignment is to take five minutes to write about how grateful I am for all the wonderful things that I currently have in my life. The assignment admonishes, “Don’t long for what you don’t possess—instead, take stock of all the blessings you already enjoy.”

That is a lesson to practice more than just today. The more you focus on what you do have, what you can do, and all that you did do, the happier you allow yourself to be right now.

Today, I appreciate my thoughtful husband, who made sure I had breakfast this morning. I appreciate my wonderful family and friends, who love and support me by reading and sharing this blog. Our pets, who remind me to get outside and enjoy this glorious day. I appreciate our home and the beautiful things we have that were passed down for generations. I appreciate the abundance of food that we have in our cabinets and refrigerator that gives me a choice of healthy foods to eat, and having an abundance of water to drink during the day to hydrate each cell in my body. I appreciate the warm and comfortable bed that cradles me throughout the night. I appreciate my hot shower that relaxes my muscles and mind. I appreciate the stationary bike that allowed me to move my body this morning in comfort. I appreciate the artwork on our walls that was created by my talented mother that gives me beauty to look at every day. I appreciate my wellness and my body that is knocking itself out on my behalf to move and function to its highest ability. I appreciate the beauty of this brisk fall morning and the view outside my office window. I appreciate each one of you who are reading this.

What are the gifts in your life that you can appreciate right now? How can you focus more on that? How might you allow yourself to be happy now?

Together we can do it!