Can I accept aspects of my life... and still deeply long for something else?

Dilemma between accepting what is and desiring more. Holding both.

There's a quiet contradiction that many of us wrestle with, especially in a world filled with manifestation mantras, gratitude journals, and the pressure to stay positive.

Can I appreciate my cozy home, the way afternoon light fills the room, the safety it offers, the nurturing fireplace, and still long for more space, more nature, more alignment with who I’m becoming?

Can I be grateful for my relationships, my job, my current chapter, and still yearn for change?

The answer is YES. You can hold both the acceptance of what is and the yearning for something different.

Emotions are nuanced and often complex. Sometimes we get so focused on what we desire that we dim our ability to truly appreciate the present. Other times, gratitude silences our deeper longings, suppressing our authentic selves and stifling growth.

In truth, we are multifaceted beings with layered desires and conflicting parts. We are not static. Yearning doesn’t cancel gratitude, and gratitude doesn’t mean we stop evolving.

I’ve been there. I’m in the process of learning this too, and it isn’t always easy. Noticing my desire for something different first led me into self-criticism and regret: Where did I falter in creating this reality that I now want to change? Why did I choose this path when so many others presented themselves?

As I worked with these questions in curiosity rather than self-criticism, I realized that yearning for something different doesn’t diminish gratitude for the gifts in my life. The yearning enriches and clarifies where I want to expand and grow. The clarification process is challenging. Energetically, I can feel both pulling me in different directions; the deep longing for what’s next, and the warm appreciation for what’s here now.

Standing between two worlds takes courage, trust, and the willingness to tolerate uncertainty. It takes strengthening our capacity to hold more than one reality at once without letting the fight-or-flight mechanism take over.

So, desire is a bridge, a conversation with your soul, and a whisper from the future calling you forward. Holding both gratitude and desire is where we meet ourselves most honestly.

You can love your home and still want a different one. You can honor your present and still shape your future. You can be grateful and still want expansion beyond what is present now.

In fact, learning to hold both is a kind of spiritual maturity.

Affirm

"I bless what is… and I'm open to what can be. I trust the timing… and I trust the longing".

With Blessings,Taalya