Let's Be Grateful Together!

Things are about to get personal.

As a new year approaches I've been reflecting on the many things that transpired during this past year, things that still have my emotions going haywire, and the things that are yet to come. These are the biggies:

My father passed away from Alzheimer's

I'm turning 50 in December (colonoscopy anyone? I'm so dreading it!)

My son transferred to a college farther away from home and is in self-discovery mode

My daughter, my only girl, is graduating and will be going away to college

My "baby" will start middle school

My mother is depressed about our loss, which saddens me and eats me up inside

A rift in the family after my father passed has torn some of my sisters apart and we are not on speaking terms

My emotions are having a field day, leaving me feeling anxious, fatigued, and utterly exhausted as a result.

I've often heard the expression, "Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a present (view it as such). And yes, I understand the concept of mindfulness. I totally agree with these ideas on a logical level but putting them into practice on an emotional level is easier said than done.

Time for action.

This morning I read a daily reflection from "Words of Courage and Confidence" by Sue Patton Thoele (great book). It talked about trusting my inner voice to guide me. I do believe I am a very intuitive and empathetic person (sometimes too empathetic) and try to listen to that voice of reason inside, let it guide me.

Right now, as much as it's speaking to me, I still feel stuck. I read a few pins on my Pinterest board "Happiness and Gratitude" and saw the pin above. I've decided to make a commitment to try it out.

Do I have any takers to join me with this experiment?

I'm going to write three things down each day on my calendar and try to focus on them throughout the day. In 21 days I will write a follow-up to this blog to share the results. It's more fun to do these types of challenges with others so why don't you join me and we can share our experiences on Facebook in 3 weeks?

Let today, Thanksgiving, be a day of gratitude for the goodness we have in our lives. Even if we can only think of one thing-depending on where each of us is at at this moment-that's fine. No pressure. This is for us. Let's share our gratitude and grow spiritually together.