Saturday, October 10, 2015

Happy Thanksgiving - An Exercise in Gratitude!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

As you may know I recently went through a rough patch. I wasn't feeling great physically or mentally.

Over the past two and a half months I have done a ton of self-care and self-reflection. And I realized that I was completely focusing on the "body" part of the mind-body-spirit connection. The body part is important but I learned the hard way that it doesn't operate (not successfully for me anyway) in isolation if you aren't taking care of the whole package.

On the "mind" front I realized that I needed to work on changing my attitude and shifting my perceptions. Thought patterns become habits and I had gotten into some pretty bad ones.

So one of the things I have been doing for the past month has been writing a GRATITUDE JOURNAL. Each night before I drift off I write down three things that happened that day that I'm grateful for. Some people may just do this instinctively, out of habit or are just naturally optimistic, but I think its been really helpful, for where I'm at in my journey,  to put it in writing. I actually look forward to it. And it is starting to "retrain my brain" to look for the positives.

Some of my gratefulness entries were pretty funny in hindsight. You can tell what days were great and what days were so-so. Some days I'm just happy I kept us all alive. But looking back over my entries it makes me realize how blessed my life is........

One of my Gratefullness journal entries for last week...........
probably not the most fabulous day but we survived it!
Because I love lists............and its Thanksgiving, I'm also going to do a quick top ten things I'm grateful for - the first 10 things that pop in my head. I don't need to overthink it or make it perfect, I just need to do it...................be careful, its habit forming!!!!

1) My hubby - we will be married for 10 years next month and he has supported me and adored me no matter what we (I) have been going through. Many highs and many lows but I always feel loved and don't feel like I have to be perfect. Good thing. And even though house renovations give him so much stress his kidneys start shutting down, he has remodeled most of our house and is currently building me a beautiful bathroom. Because I'm so cheap that I would never pay someone to do it..........but I still love beautiful things;
2) My 1st born - this kids SKIPS around all the time. She doesn't walk, doesn't run, she skips. She's happy. This was the kid that barely smiled until she was four - my fussy little baby and grumpy toddler. She has a joyful spirit;
3) My 2nd born - She reminds me everyday to stop focusing on the destination and just enjoy the journey. Her lack of concern with time and end goals can be a challenge for a type A mother but a great lesson in being in the moment;
4) My baby - He is so playful. He's ready to goof around from the moment he wakes up. It takes nothing to make this kid giggle. And who doesn't like (need) to play;
5) Canada - We are going to be OKAY Canada. We will wake up the day after the election and it will be OK. People are really getting themselves into a state of fear and dread over this election. We are still going to be some of the luckiest people in the world no matter what happens;
6) I get to work part time. One of the biggest blessing in my life - like winning the lottery. I've sacrificed things in order to do it but they have all been worth it;
7) I have the resources to try all sorts of crazy, out-side-the-box treatments to try and cure my mysterious issues. I have access to the internet and library so I can educate myself and keep looking for solutions.  And they are WORKING. As my energy healer said yesterday...."I can't believe you are the same sad little person I met a week ago". Things are happening:)
8) Food. I love food. I can't eat a gazillion things that normal people eat but I still have unlimited options and never go hungry. My newest palate adventure: KOMBUCHA - almost unpleasant but at the same time addicting;
9) My girlfriends and my family. There are so many people I learn from and lean on all the time. Even if I am a little weird, they still put up with me;
10) My body. Sometimes I feel like its betraying me when I treat it so well and it still doesn't want to work properly but it can do a headstand on a paddle board, it can dead lift my body weight and its learned all sorts of new and crazy yoga, dance and balance exercises this year. It works hard for me.

That was really easy. So I just have to remember those when I'm having an off-day!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!














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