Last month in Oregon, I found myself in one of the wettest places in the states without a rain jacket. My friend was going to REI, so I asked him to pick one up for me. He’s around my size and found a small jacket that fit him. Usually, I wear a medium, but when he asked me I said to go with the small.

When I tried it on, it felt snug. I thought, Dang! Why didn’t I trust what I always get and ask for a medium? I stewed in the inconvenience of having to go to REI again and the frustration of wearing a jacket that was too small.

Fast forward a couple of weeks. My partner was going to REI as we were preparing to leave for a camping weekend. I gave her my jacket and asked her to return it for a medium.

When she returned, I tried on the medium, and guess what? It was WAY TOO BIG. Ah! At that moment, I realized how perfect the small was for me.

In frustration, I got back in the car to return the newly bought medium and reclaim my small jacket.

Why am I telling you this?

Because it’s an everyday example of how we create suffering. We constantly think that if only we had the “other” jacket, car, job, vacation, partner, life—then we’d be ok.

We compare and think everyone has it better, which leaves us not appreciating what we have.

“You don’t know what you got till it’s gone.”

Cliches are cliches for a reason. Once I had the small jacket back, I appreciated it more because I felt the mistake of thinking it had to be some other way.

My jacket is a minor, superficial example of a deeper issue. This feeling of lack or that we made a mistake shows up in many areas of life. If we can take the step from wanting to appreciating, we can recognize how much beauty there is NOW.

Where are you feeling this discontent?

Where are you comparing?

Where do you think life would be better if only you had X?

I encourage you to make the shift and appreciate the fullness of what you already have.