We spend a lot of time chasing more.
More success.
More money.
More validation.
More freedom.

And in doing so, we often forget just how much we’ve already got.

Epictetus said:
​“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not but rejoices for those which he has.”

In other words: stop whining about what’s missing and start appreciating what’s not.

This hit me recently in one of those blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments;
My daughter Isla-Rose had a nightmare and crawled into our bed at 2 a.m.

Now, logically, I should’ve been frustrated.
I was tired. Had a full-on day the next morning. I knew I’d wake up with a neck cramp from sleeping in some weird sideways dad shape.

But instead, I looked at her—snuggled in, hair all over the place, feet somehow in my ribs—and I just felt grateful.

Because one day, she won’t crawl into bed when she’s scared.
One day, she won’t even want to hang out with me unless I’ve got snacks or cash.
And I’ll miss these nights. Cramped ribs and all.

We forget how lucky we are, because we get used to things.
We normalise the stuff we once dreamed of.
We zoom in on the one thing that’s not perfect, instead of stepping back and seeing the whole damn picture.

You don’t need to win the lottery to be lucky.
You just need to remember what you already have:

• A body that works (mostly)
• A family who loves you
• A roof over your head
• A brain that can still think clearly
• A kid who trusts you enough to wake you up at 2 a.m.
• A second chance every single morning to do better than yesterday

Gratitude isn’t cheesy. It’s clarity.​
It doesn’t mean you stop striving. It just means you don’t forget the good stuff while you do.

Reflection: What are three things you have right now that someone else would consider their dream?

Hit reply and let me know. Seriously—I’d love to read what comes up for you.
And if someone in your world is deep in “not enough” mode, send this their way.

Until next time,

Broden Johnson

PS: Want more reminders like this each week? No fluff, no hype, just real stuff that matters. Sign up here: brodenjohnson.co