Some morning thoughts as I sit here distracted by the full moon dangling over the Golden Gate Bridge like a pearl in the sky. I always joke there is no manual or guide for living. I laughed to myself a little as I reached for a book on philosophy from my shelf. Jokes on me because there it is. A Manual for Living by Epictetus, and he drops some knowledge in perfect timing while we all chip away at our goals for the new year.

You know that phrase, you’ve got to pay to play? We’ve all been there. A late night hanging out with friends, and paying for it the next day because being social is fun. Staying up late reading a book you can’t put down. Working a little harder with some overtime to plan that next trip. Or working remotely for a little while on that next trip so you can enjoy the other 12 hours there. Eating a lower carb diet to shed some pounds so the muffin top can cuddle up under the waist line where it is supposed to go. Doing squats and lunges and walking funny for a few days after to build a better butt. Spending time on your passion whether it’s writing, painting, boxing, running, or crafting. Whatever it is to turn that faucet on. To make you feel right. To get to where you want to go. To reach your goal. These advantages come at a cost. Nobody is immune to this.

Since the dawn of time, we humans have been faced with this notion of goals. Practicing gratitude is great, and also easily forgotten. So when you see someone celebrating their time in the sun… just remember they worked for it. It didn’t come for free. Everything has a price. Even if that one girl got butt implants, the cost she paid monetarily and with post surgical pain was far greater than the soreness you have from too many lunges from the days prior. Be grateful for what you have. Realize if you want it, then you can have it too. Prioritize the cost you want to pay for it. And remember, everyone has their time in the sun and their time where they sit in the shadows. It’s the shadows where all the work is done.

Have a nice day.

-Keri

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