A couple of years ago, I did a daily blog where I wrote about what I was grateful for each day. Sometimes I really had to reach, and other times it was hard deciding which thing I was going to write about!
I did that project for a couple of reasons. First, I didn’t think I was capable of maintaining a project for an entire year, as I had a string of unfinished projects haunting me. And second, I was very aware that I had a lot to be grateful for and yet life was going by so fast I barely took any time to reflect on it and express gratitude. The blog became my public platform for acknowledging and expressing gratitude.
I learned a lot about the power of gratitude and became better at noticing how even the little things could have a profoundly positive effect on my day.
“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” -Robert Brault
So today I encourage us both (you and me) to look at the aspects of our lives or jobs where we feel gratitude. This can be hard to do, especially if your job is a toxic environment, but I do feel that expressing gratitude allows us a little perspective and gets us off the hamster wheel of saying over and over “my life (or) job SUCKS!!!”
Need a little help? Your gratitude can start small (ex: there’s always free coffee/water at work, I got a seat on the subway, I heard a song I love today) until you get on a roll. Often times there are things all around you, that you take for granted and don’t even notice anymore. So start noticing. I find its feels more impactful when it’s written down. Perhaps keep a little notebook and write down 5 moments of gratitude each day. In my experience, this exercise allows you to wake up to life around you. When you are tempted to just remain numb, your little homework assignment keeps you alert.
I want to be clear on something. I am not encouraging you or me to overlook a toxic situation. Don’t mistake gratitude for rose-colored glasses. But, sometimes we are stuck and can’t see beyond the daily grind, and perhaps this little exercise will allow you some clarity.
“Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity…it makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” -Melody Beattie
Take care of YOU.
Self-care for Caregivers 