"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion into clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow." ~ Melody Beattie
I've posted about gratitude before and I have a feeling this won't be the last time I bring it up - it is such a CRUCIAL component of a happy life and something I constantly have to remind myself to take action on.
I've been super busy, busy, busy the last couple of weeks. A lot going on in my life and a lot going on in my head. My family has been sick and my work load is larger than ever. By the time I find a few minutes for myself, it has been to compose a blog post and then hit the sack. My Google reader feed is out of control.
But, this is not me complaining.
I've acknowledged the chaos in my life. Last week at work I started feeling sorry for myself at one point and I stopped what I was doing, took a deep breath, and mentally slapped myself in the face. I chose to replace the garbage in my head with these thoughts...
I am so grateful that...
my kids are healthy and happy, even if they do have nasty colds.
I have a job.
my husband knows how to, and actually loves, to cook dinner.
I have a warm, safe home.
I can afford this $5 latte I'm drinking.
my friends and family are THE BEST!
I'm not hungry.
I'm alive.
My perspective instantly shifted. Sure, I was still stuck in the middle of chaos, but I was able to get through it easier and more enjoyably.
I don't think anyone is perfect in the gratitude department. We all struggle with selfishness every once in a while. But, if we're aware of this, it allows us to shift our thinking. Cool beans.
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ReplyDeletewww.enjoyingtheepiphany.com
Thanks,Sarah
Amen. This is exactly the type of thinking I want (and am trying desperately to get) my kids to embrace. It's so, so important!
ReplyDeleteHi! I just did a "thankful" post on my blog, too :) My mom's always telling me to make a thankful list to cheer me up, and I must say - it works. We have SO MUCH to be thankful for. Sometimes it's hard to see past the bad, but it's so important to stay positive and focus on the good in life. I struggle daily with this but am getting better :) Thanks for the great post!
ReplyDeleteSarah @ babybrooks-and-us.blogspot.com