I have to acknowledge how far I have come.

I recently wrote about being burnt out, because I work hard…but I also have to recognize that from that tough grind, I have found success and happiness.

Sometimes I forget where I was…and I just look at the recent past…I don’t look at how I got here…the hard work, the dedication, the tears, the keep on keeping on…the years that lead up to this…

And I wanted to take a moment to look back at my life and say “wow.”

Less than 10 years ago, I was living in a studio in the Tenderloin and to be frank, I never thought I would be able to afford to leave the tenderloin.  I was working 3+ jobs, I had just started to slow down my partying and I was surrounded by people who weren’t healthy and were not moving forward ~ due to partying.

(*Evolving Tip: Surround yourself with people who want to grow to be better…sagnatacy is never going to lead to success)

Today, I own a flat in San Francisco and my “closest room” (yes I turned a bedroom into a closet, if you can ~ DO IT!) is bigger than my studio in the Tenderloin.  I own the shop I worked at 10 years ago, I have more than tripled the sales of the shop in the seven years I have owned it.  I started a nonprofit.  I co-founded another company.   I am in a loving marriage that we work on daily to make it awesome and we are growing stronger each day.

I have spent time and money evolving who I am as a person…ensuring that I am the best person I can be and daily, I always work on improving myself and my businesses.

I am not rich, I am not poor.  I am happy and successful.  I don’t have everything that I want, but I have everything that I need and more.

The tenderloin me…would have never thought this could be me today.

I need to take a moment and STOP, BREATHE & SURRENDER and APPRECIATE the hard work that I have put into making my life what it is today.

I get so caught up in the now, in the day to day, I forget to gaze back on the hills that I have climbed that have shaped this amazing ass!

To acknowledge and be grateful.  That is one of my main goals this year.

That pause of “gratitude” puts things in such a perspective!

The journey forward can seem daunting at times, but when I peek down the line at what is to come…instead of getting nervous, or overwhelmed or burnt out…I just need to have faith in the journey.

Because I am a really well seasoned space traveler.

Sunny Thoughts:

This lesson my Daddy taught me many years ago to:  

Breathe ~ Surrender ~ it will all work out the way it is supposed to…

really is the TRUTH.