9 The Prospector

I will find joy in the process.

She sifts mud and silt through her pan as her horse grazes peacefully by the riverside. It’s nice out here. The birds are singing and the sun shines down, warming her back and making the river sparkle. She breathes deeply. This is the life. She swirls her pan mindfully, enjoying the sounds of nature, when she sees something glinting through the mud.

The Prospector is endlessly optimistic. She once wandered the creeks and rivers, searching for the smallest sparkle of gold with nothing but her horse and the birds for company. But the more time she has spent out in nature, the more her desperate quest for riches has changed. Finding gold no longer matters. She enjoys the search itself. Maybe this is the better life she was searching for?

Sometimes we get so focused on achieving something, we forget to appreciate the good things along the way. Can you find more joy in the process? Maybe you can be happy now, instead of waiting until you reach your destination. Try being in the moment and finding the gold flecks in your current situation, even if you’re up to your knees in mud sifting through rocks!

Bring some gratitude into your life. What things can you appreciate now, no matter how small? You might be sitting on a pile of gold you’ve never noticed before.

It’s good to have aspirations, but dwelling too much on the future, and what may or may not happen, can lead to anxiety and stress. Instead, try focusing on right now!