Gratitude: The Secret To Achieving Your Dreams

If you would have told me six months ago that I would be where I am now, in a job that I love, that I’ve dreamed of, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. In fact, there were people who did tell me that soon I would be in a different position than the one that was stressing me out. Nobody could tell me how soon, and that bothered me.



I think it clicked for me at a counseling session, when I expressed my displeasure with still being in my hometown. The counselor told me that I was choosing to be unhappy.
He was absolutely right.

Life will throw curveballs at you. You won’t always get to choose what happens and when it happens. You can choose how you deal with the here and now, and believe it or not, gratitude will take you further than you’ve ever imagined.

I noticed that life changed for me when I practiced an attitude of gratitude on a daily basis. I began to focus less on what I could not control (circumstances) and focus more on what I could control (my reaction to the circumstances). I decided I would not allow other people’s decisions to hold the power which determined my happiness.

A funny thing happened, doors began to open to dreams I’d had for years.

I’d been trying to plan a trip back to Virginia to visit friends and my old school for almost six years. One day shortly after beginning my new practice of gratitude, plane tickets to Virginia suddenly went on sale. I snagged them for a bargain price.

I took another trip to a neighboring city that I’d never been to before, and ended up having a really good time. I even talked hubby into visiting with me, we had so much fun.

As I prepared to celebrate my 2nd wedding anniversary a few weeks later and gear up to visit my family out of town, I received word of a job opportunity that was right up my alley. There weren’t many details about it available, due to it being a brand new position, but I knew I had to at least consider applying and I didn’t have much time to decide.

I didn’t focus on how I’d feel leaving the position I was working at the time. I was focused on how I would feel if I didn’t leave that position, if I didn’t apply. I knew I’d kick myself for not applying. Exactly two weeks later, I was working in the position of my dreams, at my alma mater.

Every day is amazing. Faculty and staff I considered mentors are now my colleagues. I’m learning something new every day. I love connecting my students with the resources they need to be in the position to succeed in college. This is the job of my dreams.

And just to think, it all started with gratitude.

I believe gratitude unlocked doors previously closed, it allowed me to be open to possibilities. We block great things when we fail to be grateful for all that we do currently have. How will we accept the new if we don’t appreciate the current things we do have in our lives? Will your world come crashing down if the new isn’t all that you hoped it would be?

I truly believe gratitude is vital to seeing, believing, and achieving your dreams. Without it, your vision is blocked. Your dreams end up on hold. You end up stuck in a rut, unable to move, because you’re focused on the negative, what you don’t have, and all the hardships. Focusing on how hard the tests are instead of being open to the lessons life will teach you, ensures that those tests will come back around until you pass them.

 You want to know the secret to success, to achieving your dreams? It’s gratitude. A little gratitude goes a long way.

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A self-proclaimed city kid hailing from the midwest, Deidre Gadsden can usually be found relaxing with her husband, typing away on her laptop or with a notebook and a pen in her hand when not at work. You can follow her random, never-a-dull moment commentary on twitter @ScoutsHonor21. You can also check out her writing at writelivegrow.com