Today's Fuel

I subscribe to Success magazine and receive email updates as a bonus.  Today, while forwarding the email to a close friend, I noticed a Quote of the Week at the bottom of the page.  I'm all about a good quote, so I took a closer look.  The quote stated: Your big opportunity may be right where you are now.—Napoleon Hill

I got to thinking.  It seems we are always trying to get somewhere better.  I know I'm guilty.  But, doesn't trying to get somewhere better imply we're unhappy where we are now?  In my case I feel like I'm at an "in between" stage in my life.

That quote also reminds me of another.  Truth be told, this is my all-time favorite quote.  There are a few versions but I prefer the version attributed to John Wooden, the former UCLA basketball coach.  He stated, "Things turn out best for people who make the best out of the way things turn out."  I find so much meaning in that quote.  There will always be a higher paying job, a bigger house, a nicer car or better clothes, but what's wrong with where we are now?

Being happy now and working towards greatness are not exclusive of one another.  There are a million things that make me happy throughout the day:  Hearing my kids say "I love you"; feeling the sun on my skin; gazing out into the mountains; running along the river; and mapping out my future in my head.  I own every minute of my past because it is the road that brought me to this amazing place.  I'm happy at this "in between" stage.  I'm on the cusp of greatness and it's incredible.  Allowing myself to be unhappy now is like hiking a mountain and forgetting to look around on the way up.  I refuse to miss out on the blessings that find me everyday.

Could any one of us have made different decisions in our lives?  Sure.  Would we have been happier?  Who knows.  In fact, who cares?  The past is over, the future hasn't begun and the only thing we can enjoy is the present.  So, be happy.  Make the best out of whatever situation you find yourself in now.  Happiness and joy in the present bring even more happiness and joy in the future.