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- When all you can see is all that’s left to do…
When all you can see is all that’s left to do…

We had a few friends over on Thursday for the Fourth of July, which ended up being the perfect low-key celebration.
My friend Stephanie, who hadn’t been over in a couple of months, gushed over how great the property was looking, especially now that we’ve hit the rainy season and everything is especially lush and green.
“It’s so beautiful here,” she said, “don’t you just feel like you’re in heaven?”
“Yes, I do love it,” I replied, the hesitation in my voice clearly audible, “but gosh, there’s just still so much to do. I feel like we’re never going to be done.”
She shut me down almost immediately.
“Are you kidding me? What on earth are you even talking about? This place is GORGEOUS. I would just sit here in awe every single day if I lived here.”
“Oh well, I mean, yes it’s so beautiful, but the house still needs so much work! We have this ugly free couch that the dogs keep tearing up so we don’t want to get a new one, and we don’t even have any furniture in the living room, and everything just sort-of looks like a hodgepodge of randomness and the kitchen is so small and awkward and nothing is organized the way I want it to be because nothing fits anywhere and….”
She scoffed. “You’re nuts! What do you need furniture in the living room for anyways? No one will ever even go in there. And the rest of the house looks fine! Who cares if it doesn’t look like a magazine. It’s comfortable.”
And the thing is, I know she’s right.
Of course she’s right.
When we first found this place, almost a year ago now, we knew we had our work cut out for us. It was the kind of property we had been searching for and dreaming of for almost 15 years, a place we had almost given up hope of ever finding.
And since we moved in November, we’ve already done a ton of improvements. Our first big project was completely gutting and renovating the dilapidated guest house. Next we tackled the ramshackle pool area and game room, which turned out so much better than we even hoped.
We’ve also done a ton of landscaping and yard cleanup, turning what looked like an abandoned & neglected property into a gorgeous outdoor space that would honestly rival any public park.
And I really do love it, so much.
Every morning I walk the whole property with my two dogs and just look around in awe that this place is ours.
And yet, sometimes I still struggle with those moments of discontentment, where all I can see is how much work there’s still left to do.
Does that ever happen to you?
You get so focused on the end goal, on the finish line, that you forget to enjoy the journey along the way, or celebrate how far you’ve come.
The reality is that discontentment can creep up on us SO easily, before we even realize it is happening! Between Pinterest and Instagram, magazines and catalogs, HGTV and a constant bombardment of advertisements reminding us of all the things we don’t have, our default mode is often to be dissatisfied.
In ancient times Socrates wisely pointed out that “he who is not contented with what he has will not be contented with what he would like to have.” More recently, someone else once said “There are two ways to be rich; one is to have everything you want, the other is to want everything you have.”
In other words, contentment comes from within, not from what we have.
The truth is that it takes effort and intentionality to practice gratitude in a world that constantly tells us what we have isn’t enough. We have to practice counting our blessings. We have to be purposeful about remembering what we have, and how far we’ve come.
And so, my challenge for you this week is really a challenge for myself: Practice contentment in your life. Pay attention to that little voice of dissatisfaction that comes creeping in when you’re not paying attention, and take steps to shut it down. Throw away the catalogs that keep taunting you. Stay off Pinterest or social media, and stop reading or magazines or watching shows that make you feel like you need more. Take 5 minutes to think about, or maybe even write down 5 - 10 things you are grateful for today, no matter how big or small.
It might not change your circumstances, but it will change your perspective.
Live with purpose, friends, and have a joy-filled week!
xoxo, Ruth
P.S. I always LOVE hearing back from you! Feel free to hit reply to this email to let me know how I can encourage you this week!
P.P.S. If you’re interested, I’m hosting a LIVE training workshop on Thursday called Ditch the Diet: 3 Secrets for Sustainable Weight Loss That No One Is Talking About. It’s free to join, but you do have to register, which you can do HERE.
This week’s podcast episode…
What’s cooking in my kitchen…
Here’s the recipe I shared this past week:
![]() | Healthy Pink DrinkThis refreshing Pink Drink isn’t an exact copy of the Starbucks version, but it’s a much healthier alternative. My teens loved it!! |
The latest from my Instagram…
Instagram is my jam! If you’re there too, I’d love to connect with you—find me at @RuthSoukup or @ruthsoukupbiz for online business tips!
What’s Happening Around RSO…
If you’re a woman over 40 who’s ready to lose weight and get healthy without dieting, drugs, or making yourself miserable, then you’re gonna want to join me for my upcoming workshop! It’s brand new and free to join. Save your seat now and join me on Thursday! |
Interested in starting or growing your online business this year? Be sure to check out our brand new training—Firestarter: 3 Red Hot Secrets for Building an Online Business in 2024 That No One is Talking About. |
I just relaunched my website—it’s fresh and new! Go check it out, and while you’re there, download my brand new self-discovery guide. |