Love What You Already Have

by Marie Vonow (follow)

Gratitude (133)      Family (110)      Home (51)      Appreciation (44)      The Castle (1)     

Having plans and setting goals to improve aspects of one’s life can certainly be useful. At times one needs to be motivated and put in the effort to make changes, whether that be to oneself or one’s living conditions. However, sometimes the great things one already has are overlooked. It can be easy to get caught up in the pressure of wanting more and seeking improvement instead of taking time to appreciate what you already have.

One gets used to the family, friends and home one has. Sometimes we take them for granted. I find it useful to talk to other people about what is going on in their lives. When I observe other people and their circumstances it often reminds me there are a lot of great aspects to my life.

One of my all time favourite movies is The Castle. I love this movie because the Kerrigan family value each other and their life. Some people may laugh at the simplicity of the way the main characters think and how they are content with their modest lifestyle. However, I think many would be happier if they took a leaf out of the Kerrigan family’s book.

I think it is lovely the way Darryl always praises his wife’s cooking. Sal may have cooked something most would consider pretty ordinary but he appreciates her cooking and praises her in front of the family. If the family express their appreciation it makes the task of cooking, day in and day out easier. The same can be said of other routine tasks.

Darryl makes each member of the family feel good about their achievements, even if it is just digging a hole. The family eat together and watching Hey Hey It’s Saturday as a family is a weekly ritual. It’s simple stuff but helps keep the family united and they don’t take it for granted. The neighbours support each other and have formed their own little community.

What are the great features about your house? Is the roof in good condition? Is there a verandah to help keep the house cool and to provide somewhere to sit and relax? Perhaps your house has air conditioning. Is it a comfortable haven to come home to? Is it your castle? We get used to these things and forget to appreciate them.

Is your home close to public transport, schools or shops? Perhaps the location is great in some other way. Do you live in a peaceful country setting with plenty of space?

Darryl Kerrigan sees the proximity of his house to the airport as a plus. Not many people would. He doesn’t get upset about the noise of planes flying overhead. Okay, so there are aspects about the location of his house that are likely to be unhealthy, but that’s not the point here.

Yes, it’s fine to make changes to improve life but it’s important to enjoy what one currently has. If you are too busy planning the next ‘improvement’ and don’t take the time to count your blessings today, what’s the point? As Josie Mara (American model, actress and cosmetic entrepreneur) said, ‘There's so much to appreciate about my life every single day, and I make a big point of taking time to smell the roses and noticing how lucky I am. I never want to take that for granted,’


# Appreciation
# Family
# Gratitude
# Home
# The Castle

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