Life Is Beautiful: How Appreciating The Now Will Change How You Live

We are obsessed with what we don't have.

We fantasize about where we want to be, who we want to be with and how we would like to see ourselves, all while abandoning the moments, people and places of significance that take place in our lives.

There is nothing wrong with wanting change; change is good and necessary, but it doesn't happen overnight. It is a process, rather, which is accomplished over time with transition.

The problem we often face with longing for a life different than the one we have is that we treat where we are and where we want to be like an on-and-off switch. We cut off the "now" and turn on the "will be."

Making goals and planning to change your scenery should be a process where priorities change and focus sharpens, not one where one life comes to a screeching halt for the other.

We’ve all been guilty of taking mental vacations, and we’ve all jumped into the visual snapshot we’ve projected for ourselves. But often, when we pack our mental bags we leave behind our dormant body to go through the monotonous routine of life like a corpse.

This shouldn’t be so. Surrendering the life you’re currently living is a dangerous thing. It’s a risky business that leaves us tirelessly running a race, chasing satisfaction on a treadmill, always wanting, but never having.

When we make up in our minds that the present isn’t important, it becomes a habitual.

The job won’t have enough benefits, one degree will suddenly turn into two and the dream house in California will soon enough become humdrum.

If we can’t find happiness where we are, we won’t find it where we want to be. Accomplishments will no longer hold value due to the next goal that's pending.

Never become so caught up in where you are going that you fail to appreciate where you are. Every day deservers our acknowledgement and should be taken full advantage of.

No matter the condition our lives are currently in, we should understand our purpose in every stage of our lives. There is a reason why we are where we are and ignoring that reason often leads to ignoring the opportunities that lay right in front of us.

A large part of appreciating where you are is understanding that everything is temporary.

Who you’re with, where you are, the memories, routine, people and laughs that you enjoy are all momentary. To ditch or discount the life you’re in the middle of living would be foolish because time is fleeting. One day, you may look back to see the grass isn't always as green as advertised.

Our ambitions are important. We should always move forward, progressing toward the dreams that are embedded in the fabric of who we are. An important lesson, however, is appreciating the road toward these dreams and ambitions.

Loving the struggle, embracing what it takes, understanding your sacrifices and acknowledging those who helped you along the way are all part of the process that will allow us to be better individuals.

When we understand the beauty in today and embrace all it has to offer, we will learn how to appreciate the goodness we receive.