365 Days of Gratitude

Gratitude: It is 2014 and I am ready to move forward. Last year had some difficulties and I am ready to spring forth anew. Instead of focusing on the negative, I have decided to focus on the positive. What is going right. It's easy to focus on what is going wrong, but we have to often look a bit for the good.

First of all, I will not be focusing on my body. Three years ago I lost a great deal of weight and then some things happened. Things I have no control over and I had become obsessive about my body...my weight. Daily weighings, focusing on my food was becoming obsessive and negative. I have decided to let it go. I am going to learn to love my body...however it is. I am going to treat it better, feed it good food and give it exercise. I am going to learn to listen to my body. It's not getting younger, but it can be healthier.

This is not about making resolutions...I don't keep them. This is about recreating the focus of my life...instead of dwelling on the things I can't control, I want to focus on the things I can. I want to find myself being GRATEFUL and acknowledging the things that I am grateful for.

So...since I didn't write yesterday, I'm going to catch you up!

January 1: Today I am grateful for my life. I am not looking at this in the broad sense, but rather specifically that I am breathing, walking, living. I am alive. I am grateful that I have lived this many years, had the experiences that I have had, have become who I am now. I am not perfect, but I have the opportunity to do something about that. I have daily opportunities to improve myself, notice new things, create an amazing life. That is what 2014 is going to be about...being grateful for what I have and who I can be.

January 2: Today, as I finish my day, I want to express my gratitude for Sam. Sam is engaged to our oldest son, Adam. Although Adam is not my biological son, I love him dearly. Eleven years ago he came to live with us. We have traveled a long journey and I am so proud of who is has grown up to be. Sam is an amazing woman who came into Adam's life five years ago. She helps him not to take life too seriously, balances him in an incredible way, and clearly loves him with all her being. Seeing your son truly happy is a gift and having his partner be such an amazing person is an even greater gift. I consider myself lucky and I consider our family greatly enriched by her presence. In six months, she will become Adam's wife and my new daughter of sorts. I feel blessed. I couldn't have chosen someone better for him myself.


I believe that 2014 is going to be a glorious year. It is a year of focus...Gratitude. I am ready..

@365grateful #gratitudechalleng,

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