Here to Inspire: Part IV – Enjoying the Journey
This is the fourth installment of my series on Inspiration. I hope you have enjoyed my previous articles on “Discovering Your Destiny,” “Overcoming Fear,” and “Making Meaningful Life Changes.” I hope the articles have helped to put you on track with living a life full of inspiration. At this point you should be ready to work through the next phase, “Enjoying the Journey.”
When making meaningful life changes, I have learned that it is really important to enjoy each step in the journey and not just hope to be happier at a later point in life. We need to take the time to look at all the good things in our lives and enjoy them.
Here are four simple ways you can enjoy the journey:
Be Present
In the previous blog, we discussed setting goals and making lists. While it is important to “check off” the to-do items on our lists, it is even more important to ensure that we are taking the time to enjoy our accomplishments along the way.
So how can we be more present while completing our to-do’s? The answer is intention. Practice situational awareness. If one of your to-do items is taking an application to the post office, as an example, make it a point to take in the journey — even if you have gone to the post office many times before. This kind of consciousness, where you are practicing being aware of the things around you, will help you be more present as you complete your checklists in life.
Show Gratitude
Gratitude is one of the greatest ways to enjoy and take pleasure in life. Each and every day, make it a practice to reflect on one thing you are thankful for. It can be something big or small, the most important thing is to find and focus on one thing every day. This small change can have a significant impact on your life.
Once you’ve started taking the time to think about what you are grateful for, now make the time to express and share that gratitude by telling people how much you appreciate them. Especially during these life-changing times, make time to recognize the people in your life who encourage you, support you, and serve as a resource for you along the way.
Take a Breath
Sometimes life can be a little overwhelming. Barriers and challenges may get to you at times. This is why it’s important to step back – and step away – from what you are focusing on to unwind. Read a book, go for a walk, or be like me and eat some good food! Whatever it is that you do where you find relaxation and enjoyment – make sure to find the time to do so. This simple practice has had a significant impact on my life. It’s important to understand that we all need a little time to simply do nothing every now and then.
Keep on Learning
Last but not least, the final step to enjoying the journey is embracing education.
By definition, if we are seeking to make meaningful life changes, we are going to have to change. Change requires learning so that we can adapt and evolve – but many people feel resistant to the learning process. Embrace learning and be intentional with your actions. This will help ensure your life stays fresh, so you can enjoy the journey as you grow as a person.
This concludes my series on Living a Life of Inspiration. I sincerely hope you found the articles on Discovering Your Destiny, Overcoming Fear, Making Meaningful Life Changes, and Enjoying the Journey to be fulfilling. I really appreciate those of you who have been reading along – and I look forward to sharing more inspirational stories in series to come!
