Daily gratitude

Today I am grateful for a very good therapy session.  It's been slow going but I'm seeing the progress and I know I can't undo over thirty years of issues in one.  Mostly, there was this connection my therapist pointed out to me today that had never occurred to me and really has me thinking.

daily gratitude

I am going to make this a habit.  For real.

Roots of She ran a cool giveaway for the chance to win a place in the Blossom from the Heart writing course.  I won!  This is exactly the type of thing I need to help me break through these ruts.  Thank you, universe.

daily gratitude

How long does it take to make something a habit?  I will get the hang of this.

I arrived home from a good, but busy day to a lovely package awaiting me.  I won an autographed copy of The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell and some other goodies and it came today.  This book sounds so great and I can't wait to dig into it this weekend. 

Daily Gratitude

Earlier this week I mentioned that I always post when I'm upset, probably because I've always used writing to help me deal with life, but I rarely truly take a moment to pause and write about the normal good things that happen.  Not only the extroardinary things, but the simple moments that can make me happy.

Today I'm grateful for my co-worker Brandi, who made this for me:

I admit it.  I find the whole thing with Charlie Sheen part-fascinating-part-sad and the fascinating side keeps winning out.  I know first hand how awful addiction is, especially on the people around you, and I sometimes feel guilty about indulging in these media outlets allowing this man to keep going on and on.  But.  But, despite all of this and my conscience trying to sway me, the spectacle keeps making me laugh and waiting for the next thing to come out of his mouth.  In the meantime, my friend and I have decided that there should be a drink with the motto, "I'm not on (insert beverage of choice)!  I'm on Charlie Sheen!" 

Today I'm grateful for my creative friend providing me with a good laugh amidst a lot of unnecessary drama at work.

Day 14: Reverb 10 (Appreciate)

Today I had one of the worst sinus headaches in a long while, add to it another medical issue, and I had to bite the bullet and go to the doctor.  On my continued weight loss/get healthy journey, I had a fallback and am being put back on the blood pressure water pill.  It's my own fault.  When I started focusing more on my mental health this past year, I've let a lot of my working out and focus on eating right fall to the wayside.  Current nemesis:  soda.  I had been off it for almost nine months - no soda at all - and one day I just started drinking diet soda again.  And the sodium and artificial sweeteners and caffeine are so not good for me.

Onto today's Reverb 10 Prompt before I take more Ibuprofen and pass out for the night, as I can't miss another day of work. 

December 14 – Appreciate. What’s the one thing you have come to appreciate most in the past year? How do you express gratitude for it? (Author: Victoria Klein)

Life.  It sounds so cliche, but it's something I've never really taken the time to truly appreciate just being and existing.  it's funny.  You'd think a girl who lost her dad when she was a kid to cancer would grow up truly appreciating life.  Of being someone who was more impulsive than so cautious about every single thing.  After all, I know firsthand that life and death just happen.  But it wasn't until my mother died that it really sunk in - I'm only guaranteed this moment. 

I talk about this a lot, I know, but it's because it's this huge realization I've been coming to terms with.  I've spent so much of my life focusing on ignoring or trying to stuff down the pain of my past or going on and on about the future (usually breaking down every dream and wish to its very worst possible ending)...I'm only realizing this year that I should just appreciate each day for what it is.  And while I can't control everything, I can control how I face the day.  I can choose to let people frustrate me.  I can choose to avoid the things I love because I don't think I deserve.  I can choose to worry and not appreciate the things I do have.

How I've started expressing gratitude for my life?  I try to write down something each day that I'm grateful for and it's funny how the smallest things really are great - like the car that lets you out onto the road in traffic.  And I've started telling the people I love how much I appreciate them more often.  At first, I know it freaked them out - I'm not a girl who really shared her feelings - but I'm pretty sure it made them feel good.  And definitely reminded me of all that I have.

Gratitude

I'm trying to put my gratitude and positivity out into the universe.  Even on my very bad days, which I've been having a few of lately, I have moments of clarity where I realize how fortunate I am in many ways.  Every person faces hardships and in the scheme of things, I have a roof over my head, food on the table, and a job with health benefits.   A lot of the time, I take that for granted.  A lot of the time, I don't let the universe know that I'm grateful.

Universe, thank you.

Also, I must thank Coupon Mom for the giveaway win of $125.00 dollars!  It came at just the right time, after my car had to go into the shop.  I'm very grateful.  And everyone should check the site out, especially if you're pinching pennies.  The site is full of coupons and samples.  As someone who has recently begun coupon-clipping, it's a great asset.