Enjoying the Journey

If there is one thing I want you to take away from this book, it is the understanding that success is a journey, not a destination. It’s about what you do, but WHO you become through the achievement of your dreams.

Success is a process of letting go of perceived limitations, growing and developing as unique individuals, believing in our true potential, honoring the best parts of ourselves and sharing them with the world.

As we’ve learned throughout this book, most of this process takes place in our very own minds. We’ve always had the potential to be successful, we just needed to believe it and embrace it. How freeing it is to realize that!
There are just a couple more points I want to expand upon, because I think they’re very important.

Develop a True Attitude of Gratitude
I can’t stress enough how crucial it is to have an attitude of gratitude. And not just in relation to your goals, either!

Gratitude can transform any aspect of your life, and most especially your thoughts. When you feel grateful for the good things in your life, you are obviously focusing more on them. This not only helps you to feel more positive on a regular basis, it also helps you to worry less about the negative stuff, lack, and struggle.

You feel happier overall, and everything in your life tends to run more smoothly. You feel optimistic, blessed, and grateful for the opportunity to mold your life into a work of art. Consequently, it becomes one!

Beginning today, make it a habit to express a feeling of gratitude for all the wonderful aspects of your life. At first you may struggle to find things to be grateful for. You may be so used to looking at the negatives that you truly can’t see the positives! If you have to, start with the most obvious:

“I’m grateful for my healthy body, my ability to see and hear, the love of my family and friends.”

With a little practice, you’ll begin noticing more and more things to feel grateful for.
Express Appreciation for EverythingAppreciation seems similar to gratitude, but there are notable differences. Gratitude is usually a feeling of thankfulness for something you have, while appreciation is the practice of affirming or admiring the positive features of something.
For example: you can be thankful for the presence of someone you love in your life, and you can also appreciate the ways this person supports and encourages you.

Another example: you can appreciate the beauty of a morning sunrise, and you can also be thankful that it lifted your spirits and filled you with feelings of hope and inspiration.
Getting into the habit of expressing appreciation for everything in your life can keep you focused on the positive, just like an attitude of gratitude does. But it also makes the journey to success seem meaningful and worthwhile.
Take time to appreciate:

* Everything you have, for the joy they bring to your life.
* Everything you see or hear, for the ways they keep you focused in the present moment.
* The challenges you face, for the richness and strength they add to your character.
* Your journey itself, for the amazing experiences and growth it provides.
* Yourself, for your unique gifts, your indomitable spirit, your willingness to go the extra mile.