Gratitude+ Restless = tension or beauty?

So, I was listening to Mark Nepo’s The Fifth Season the other day, and he dropped this little gem of wisdom: we can have the life we want if we’re simply present with the life we have. And honestly, that got me thinking.

You know, my life’s pretty good. Sure, there are things on my wish list—a new house, a new car someday—but when I look around, I do have what I need. And that’s where this idea of presence comes in: just being here, now, with what is.

But here’s the twist—I started feeling a little guilty, wondering how to balance gratitude for what I have with the awareness that others might have less. And then, I realized there’s another layer: that tug-of-war between wanting to be content with the life I have and still wanting more.

So I did a little research, and I found a name for it. It’s like “aspirational restlessness”—that sense of being grateful for what you’ve got but not quite feeling settled because there are still things you want. And I think a lot of us feel that way.

So that’s the concept I’m working to understand and maybe overcome—not by giving up on dreams, but by finding peace in that balance.

So, I’d love to hear from you: how do you balance feeling grateful for what you have with still wanting more, and how do you make peace with that restlessness? Let me know your thoughts!