You’ve Made It, Now What?

Kathryn J. Raths, LLC photo 

I am an overachiever. I continue to reach and reach higher and higher as I move through life. Although, sincerely, I am quite humble. I’ve never said, “Okay, I’ve arrived,” because everything leads to the next thing, and with each milestone, I can be caught saying, “Now what?” I realize that making it is purely a thing that happens in that pivotal moment, and although it may take much effort to achieve, it is only a moment. I am not taking away from the process of gratitude and appreciation for an accomplishment. Processing where I’ve come from and today’s arrival is worthwhile, and celebration honors this milestone; it's part of the journey that is important to recognize.

For example, I have just achieved a Master of Arts Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and for this, I am grateful. It was a lot of hard work, and it took time, but as I sit here today with my degree, I realize my work in counseling is just beginning. I can breathe a little easier with my new credential, but I certainly cannot give up; I must reach the next bar. This means finding a counseling job to officially start my counseling career. But the key here is that I have to intertwine my life with joy, and this joy must be present in some way at all stages of my journey. This happens by ensuring we're doing things we’re passionate about. For example, I am intrigued by psychology relating to our brains, emotions, behaviors, and everything else. What does this mean? Even though it was a lot of work to achieve my Master’s Degree, I enjoyed learning about the field. I also enjoyed going through the process with my cohort; I was blessed with wonderful classmates, and we’ve created a network we can lean on moving forward. This is the kind of stuff that gifts bliss along the way.

It is important to realize that we are all in the process of “making it” regardless of where we are individually in our life journey. Success is fluid; fundamentally, we can build upon it repeatedly as we evolve. If you recognize this, you’ll find a way to continually strive for a better you and appreciate all you are in the present moment too!

Let’s celebrate your latest accomplishment. Tell me about it so I can honor your hard work too!  Are you feeling joy? If not, check out the Harvard Business Review to learn how to reexamine several variables of mindset to better understand why we might continue to strive for things but may not be happy with our successes.