Being Grateful

Happy October! 

Another month has drawn to a close and we continue to inch ever nearer to snow covered roads and the jolly fat man in the red suit squeezing his way down the chimney stack.

So far I have completed nine month's worth of challenges with a different kind of 'baby' emerging at the end - a blog baby.  My blog has become like a fourth child for me, it needs nurturing , feeding, cleaning and encouraged to grow.  I am Grateful that this has been possible with the help of my readers.

My October challenge is to be 'Happy & Grateful'.  A seemingly easy challenge - or is it?  Can you be happy if you've just been made redundant or were involved in an accident.  Can you be grateful if your outgoings are more than your incomings and you struggle to pay bills?

Negative thoughts take over our waking moments and this can leave us with very little left to relish all the good things in our lives.

When I was a small child I remember sitting down for dinner each evening and saying, 'for what I am about to receive may I be eternally grateful.'  I never understood what I was saying until I was older and began to appreciate that my dinner didn't just materialise out of thin air and that there were hundreds of people to thank for getting that pie and chips in front of me!

Take a moment to think of what you are most grateful for, it doesn't have to be a momentous achievement, here are my top ten:-

1. My gorgeous children who light up my world.
2. Amazing parents who support me in everything I do.
3. A warm cosy bed.
4. My good health.
5. A beautiful home.
6. Friends who I love dearly.
7. My books.
8. An abundance of inspirational clients who keep my business flowing.
9. Being single and having total control over the television remote.
10. Social Media (I know, I know, I can't help it - its addictive!)

As a family, we eat dinner together every night.  As we tuck into whatever concoction I have whipped up, my son begins his usual routine - 'Best and Worst Thing' of the day.
We take it in turns to say the best thing that has happened and the worst thing, here are a few examples:-

• Best - I got 10 out of 10 in my spelling test (that was one of the kids in case you were wondering!)
• Worst - It's raining and we couldn't play outside at break time.
• Best - I found a fiver in an old coat pocket
• Worst - I owed the window man a tenner!
• Best - I got a B in my exam paper
• Worst - GTA5 online WON'T LOAD!

You get the idea!  Try it for yourselves, it really makes you think about your day and also gives you an opportunity to talk through the 'worst' parts as a family and turn them into positives.

I very often advise my clients to keep a journal, this can be for any number of reasons.  Writing down your thoughts and emotions helps us deal with a multitude of issues and ailments.  Keeping a gratitude journal can be just as powerful.

Every night jot down five - ten things that you are thankful for.  Some of the things you write down may be repeated such as - my car, an understanding boss or my children.  Some may be as simple as - the sunshine, crisp autumn leaves or Ian Somerhalder on telly *dreamy sigh*.  Doing this on a regular basis reduces stress and anxiety, uplifts you and makes you feel happier as you are stopping those negative thoughts and replacing them with uplifting, positive ones.

 

 

Another saying from my childhood was 'count your blessings', this is something I do on a daily basis.  Once upon a time, in a dim and distant part of my life, I didn't think I would survive to see my next birthday and now here I am, a happy, healthy single mum running my own business and blogging like a pro...I'm so grateful for that.

 

 

THANK YOU to everyone who pops in to read my blog posts, your comments and feedback here on the blog or via twitter or Facebook make my day.  You guys are AWESOME x

 

 

Tell me what you're grateful for, I'd love to hear from you...