I live in a beautiful house in the countryside, with views of trees and fields, and lakes nearby for me to enjoy their peaceful stillness.

I wake up excited to start my day, grateful that I get to live in such a beautiful home, and have so many wonderful opportunities in my life.

I journal, practice yoga, and meditate in my private space.

I go for a run through the fields and around the lakes, feeling my body working hard to make healthy choices, listening to inspiring words to develop my mind as well as my body.

I eat a healthy breakfast, and read an inspiring, thought-provoking book with my morning tea.

I sit at my desk, a beautiful space, with fresh flowers, and I start to write.

Every morning, before I do any other “work”, I write.

I write because I love to write.

I write because it helps me to connect with the best version of myself – the happiest, brightest, calmest version of myself – so I can bring this to my work every day, so I can show up for my clients and my community in the best way possible, and help us all to get that bit further, together.

This is my Perfect Day. My Dream Day. A day in my Dream Life.

It was today.

This is how I started this morning.

This is how I live my life.

Not some future plans.

I’m living it now.

Today.

Of course, there are human elements I’ve glossed over – like the fact that my house is not as tidy as I would like it to be, or that I’m not yet earning as much money as I would like from my business, or that it still feels like I have a long way to go to get to where I want to be.

But the truth is that I have come so far from where I began even a year ago, two years ago, or even 10 years ago. And it’s important for me to acknowledge this. It’s important that I am able to say how proud and grateful I am of the work I have done and the opportunities that have come my way.

It’s too easy for us to be dismissive of our achievements, for us to brush them off because they don’t live up to our imaginary standards. For us to answer “busy” or “tired” when people ask how we are, rather than saying “peaceful”, “happy”, or “inspired”, even when we do. We focus on the negative, rather than being grateful for the positive.

We think that by doing this we are protecting ourselves. That we are preventing “pride coming before a fall”, but in fact, all we are doing is foreboding joy, or upper limiting, holding ourselves back from fully enjoying the gifts we have been given.

I want more from my life, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be grateful, appreciative and proud of what I already have. In fact, from what I’ve learned so far on my personal development journey, ironically, you can’t actually have more until you’re grateful for what you have!

So, let’s all have more in our lives, by starting with acknowledging what we already have.

What are you grateful for having / doing / being or achieving in your life today?

I am grateful for so many things, not least of which is the fact that this piece is partly inspired by my friend Esther Zimmer’s Sacred Page journalling e-course – click here to read more about it and sign up for yourself. I’m halfway through the 40 days, and I don’t want it to end! Thank you dear friend! xx