Being Grateful

I think I’m all too quick to dwell on the negative sometimes. Life can feel pretty stressful and overwhelming, especially when you’re tired from sleepless nights, worried about work and trying to think about the future. I have to remind myself to think about the positives, to accept the negatives but not to get overwhelmed by them. To focus on the things I do have, and not the things I don’t have. To put a better spin on things. In that vein, here’s my list of things that may seem a negative, but stem from, or can lead to positives.

1. I don’t like getting up early in the morning. Getting up at 6am sucks!
   = I have a family to care for and a son to love.
2. The house is an absolute tip! It’s so messy and I hate cleaning.
   = I have a safe place to live, a roof over my head and somewhere I can spend time with my family.
3. It’s so noisy! I remember when I had peace and quiet all day.
   = I’m surrounded by family who I love.
4. I need to lose weight and my clothes are too tight.
   = I’m lucky to have plenty to eat and enjoy the food I eat.
5. My husband is driving me nuts.
   = I have a good marriage and a man who loves me very much.
6. We don’t have the money I’d like for this Christmas.
   = My family is safe, secure, warm and fed. We can celebrate being together and don’t need all the material things.
7. It’s freezing cold and the days are so short this winter.
   = I can get fresh air and wrap up warm. The world is beautiful and amazing!
8. We’ve had an incredibly tough year, physically, mentally and with severe family losses.
   = We’ve lost someone we love, but we have all the memories and happy days to think back on. We were lucky to be part of their lives.
9. I don’t know what I’m doing or how to be a mum and manage a family!
   = I’ve got the opportunity to learn and learning will be a lot of fun.
10. My back hurts. I’m sore and tired at the end of the day.
    = I’m still alive, and tomorrow is a new day!

Expressing gratitude can really make you think about your life and the things you value and it creates optimism which will really make an impact on your outlook. Go on, try it yourself. Take something that you feel is a negative and turn it around into something you’re grateful for and happy about and let me know what it was in the comments because I’d love to know what others are thinking of!

Here’s a poem that I read that really resonated with me. The author is unknown.

Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don’t know something,
for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations,
because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge,
because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes.
They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you’re tired and weary,
because it means you’ve made a difference.

It’s easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who
are also thankful for the setbacks.

Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,
and they can become your blessings.

Life is far from perfect, but I’m thankful for everything that I have.