I Am Grateful

 

  Worrying. It happens. What matters is how you respond to that impulse to worry!

   When times are rough, when you're down and out, and going through so much it barely seems real, when the universe has dumped three truckloads of misery on top of you, it's hard to remember how much you still have and are blessed with each day. A person with a mind prone to worry and despair benefits from taking time out of their day to reflect upon and enumerate all the positive aspects of their lives. I have struggled most of my life to see the glass half full, in fact, it's been half empty for a long time, and because of that mindset, it is possible I have missed out on amazing moments, even if I was physically present for these moments. If your mind's not in it, chances are your heart isn't either, and you won't remember things the same way as others. Living in the moment has been less than natural for me in the past and I want nothing more than to achieve a mental state in which living in the moment is effortless!

  Therefore, it is essential that on particularly anxious or frustrating days, I take a few breaths, then mentally go through the long list of things I am grateful for. And by long I mean, vast! So vast, that I cannot remember everything all at once. Just going through the list items at the top of my head helps me center and find balance in a sea of chaos. It also helps me focus on the things I may have forgotten. What a wonderful surprise to remember all the things I'm so happy to have in or around my life!

  I've been reading a lot of positive blogs (which helped inspire me to start my own) but my favorite blog is that of celebrity yoga and fitness guru Mandy Ingber. Not only is she a very talented yogi, she's also heavily spiritual and keeps her words and her actions positive in order to inspire others. She has certainly inspired and comforted me with her outlook and her demeanor. It is not just her yoga that speaks to me, although I DO enjoy yoga, but her energy is uplifting. She wrote a blog post in November of last year about how to see abundant gratitude in your present life. A shift in perspective is everything. As long as you are looking at things through the right perspective, the abundance in your life will fill you and surround you, changing your life. She notes that it is important to embrace 'YES' and that you must also say Yes to No, embracing every experience, no matter how difficult to swallow.

 She created a pretty awesome chart, with "I AM GRATEFUL FOR.." written in the middle circle, with spokes coming out of center wheel. On each spoke was written something she was grateful for. Go check it out here.

 I made one too. It's not a pretty as Mandy Ingber's is, but it serves it's purpose! I have it taped to the wall near my mirror in my bedroom. In the picture, you can see where I left some spaces blank. These are yet to be filled with things I either remember I am grateful for, or things I have yet to be grateful for. There is always room for more. Incomplete is the key here. Life isn't over, it has only just begun! Life is still moving forward, and there is lots more to look forward to, more chances to grow and learn and be thankful.

Here are some of those things from the list...

I AM GRATEFUL, for these circumstances, people and things...
1. Noah
2. Dogs
3. Family, both mine and Noah's family
4. House to live in, with all amenities needed
5. Job, enough money to live on
6. Art and music
7. Health, good vitals
8. Live in America, can vote
9. Respect for nature, environment, animals
10. Ability to travel, explore, great sense of adventure
11. Eagerness to learn, to experience
12. Coffee
13. Herbs, plants, natural medicines
14. Sunshine, great weather year round (where I live)
15. Plan of action for career choice (vet tech)
16. Sundays off!
17. Hanging with friends, spending time together
18. YOGA, meditation, relaxation
19. The ocean and the coast
20. The mountains
21. Moon, sun, stars, planets
22. Dreams
23. No student loans, no massive debt!
24. Car to drive
25. Tie dyes :-)
26. My imagination
27. Hiking
28. Breath
29. Hope, natural perseverance 
30.  Belief that anything is possible
31. The hardship that reveals to me the good in my life (Yes to the the No)

And many more things that I literally cannot think of, but I am grateful that I know they are even there, just waiting to be rediscovered when the time is right!

Take some time out today to think about what makes you feel grateful or thankful or happy. Make a chart, or write a list, but make it visual, and refer to it as many times a day or week as you need.

Remember, live for each moment, no matter how challenging that moment might be.