Sometimes life looks good on paper – steady job, supportive community, meaningful work – and yet something in you still aches for more.

More creativity.

More alignment.

More connection.

And along with that desire often comes guilt.

This short reflection is a reminder that wanting more doesn’t make you ungrateful.

It means you’re alive.

It means you’re paying attention to what still matters to you.

You’re allowed to honor what you have and still reach for what’s next – without apology, and without guilt.

00:06

Hey, this is It's Okay If, bite-sized permission slips. I'm Matt Gilhooly, and today's permission, it's okay if you feel guilty for wanting more. I felt that guilt in more places than I'd really like to admit. For a long time, I had this steady job, the paycheck, the things people told me I was supposed to be grateful for, and I was, but also something inside me wanted more, more creativity, more meaning.

00:34

more alignment with who I was becoming, and the guilt that came with that, it was really loud. Who am I to want more? Shouldn't this be enough? Other people would kill for this. And even now with the LifeShift podcast as it's grown and has found loyal listeners and been recognized, I still feel the pull for more, more reach, more impact, more connection. And again, this guilt in me shows up.

01:02

Why can't I just be satisfied with what is? But here's what I'm learning. Wanting more doesn't make me greedy or ungrateful. It means I'm alive. It means I care. It means I'm still reaching towards something that matters to me. So if you're feeling that pull for something more, even if your life is technically good on paper, that's okay. You can want more and still honor what you already have.

01:31

So if you're up for it, tell yourself, give myself permission to want more without guilt, without apology. That's your permission slip, friend. Tuck it in your pocket and I'll see you next time.