“Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path. You know you will never get to the end of the journey. But this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb.” 
~Winston S. Churchill

Dear Universe,

I can’t believe it’s August. Full disclosure: I say this every August.

August means the summer is coming to a close—and for me, summer always flies by as fast as the tides roll in.

(North shore of Egypt)

It also means that soon it will be fall, and before we know it, it’s pumpkin carving, it’s Thanksgiving, it’s the holidays and then? It’s the start of a brand new year.

Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself. But I know I’m not the only one who sees August as this turning point.

In planning the things I want to accomplish this month, I took a moment to pause and think about what this year has brought so far.

I never do this. I typically wait until the end of the year to reflect. But I felt called to take stock and because I rarely acknowledge my accomplishments or goals achieved, and just push, push, push, it felt good.

Things aren’t as bleak as my to-do list would have you believe! And yet, how many of us miss the opportunity to truly see the beauty in our path?

We always concentrate on our to-dos, but we don’t always acknowledge our ta-das. 

Things are happening, despite feeling they are not.

Things are progressing, despite feeling stuck.

Things are developing, despite not seeing the evolution day-to-day.

Life is happening. Life is always happening. Sometimes monumental things occur so we see and feel the change quite obviously: a baby is born, a graduation takes place, an eye-opening-soul-shifting trip happens, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity manifests, a sickness is healed, a miracles occurs, two souls find each other and fall in love.

Most times though, it just feels the same. It feels like yesterday is like today and tomorrow won’t be much different either.

But even when each day feels similar to the last, there are always shifts—no matter how imperceptible they feel—and it’s up to us to recognize those shifts.

The only way to see it is to pause and honestly give ourselves credit for what we have done.

Can you pause for a moment, give a cheer for your growth and progress, and pat yourself on the back for a goal accomplished?

Can you toot your own horn, jump for joy, and do a little celebratory dance for finally doing that thing you’ve always wanted to (or at least working towards that thing you’ve always wanted to?)

Can you gift yourself a genuine compliment for your progress and growth? Can you use kind and loving words instead of ones riddled with frustration and annoyance?

And when you’re done, can you use that amazing energy you just created and channel it towards your momentum?

And when you’re back to staring down your to-dos, thinking of all the things you still want to finish in 2017, can you just repeat this mantra until it sinks in?

I am fierce.

I am ready.

I am excited.

I am capable.

And can you end with gratitude? Gratitude for your epic power, unstoppable determination and your ferocious capacity to love? Can you always end with the feeling of pure, heart-felt, soul-felt, gratitude?

I highly recommend it.

With Gratitude,