For a time in 2016, I wrote a gratitude list every night before bed. I kept the notebooks and when I stumble across them (like I did today) I usually flip through a few pages. Through my sloppy writing, I see how hard I was trying, in one of the worst times in my life, to find some joy each day.
The daily lists include gratitude for a conversation with a coworker, a friend reaching out, a show I was watching, the wine I was drinking, making it through a workday, buying a sword at the renaissance fair . . . I wrote them every night. I was deeply not okay, but looking back I can see how even that small practice of daily gratitude meant that I wanted to be . . . that I had faith I could get through that time and would take whatever lifejacket available.
I don’t do daily gratitude lists right now, but I do post them frequently on here. Today was a reminder why.
Sunday Gratitude:
- Waking up without an alarm
- Reading a new book while I enjoy my morning Diet Coke
- A morning run around the point
- A, dare I say, warm day (in the 40s, the sun was out, wow)
- Checking off my chores, one by one, early in the day
- Burning a candle (vanilla scented, blue and yellow for Ukraine)
- Reading My Hero Academia manga online
- Getting through most of my audiobook for work over this weekend
- The longer days, past seven and I can still see outside
- Preparing for a wedding next weekend!
With Love,
Natalie