A few years back, after completing a presentation, a woman came up to me to share how she resonated with the information. She shared that she had lost her husband a few years earlier. As a result, she started doing this one thing every night. To this day, that conversation has impacted me.
That one thing she started doing as a result of her husband’s passing was writing three things she is grateful for that day on her calendar. She believed that helped carry her through because she had to look for the good, even when things didn’t feel good.
It was a constant reminder to her that there is always something to be grateful for. Even when life is hard and times are tough. Plus, she had the bonus of being able to go back and read what she was grateful for in days past.
I recognize that when times are tough, it can be difficult to see the sunshine. Yet when we appreciate what we have, more good things come our way, sort of like a snowball effect.
It is not even about the big stuff, it’s about the simple, small things. It’s about appreciating the everyday moments that tend to be taken for granted.
Three Things I Am Grateful For
So here the three things I am grateful for today:
- Reconnecting with my friend Sonja, whom I had not connected with for over a year. Even though a large chunk of time had passed, it was like no time had passed at all. We just picked up where we left off.
- My mom helping with laundry during our major remodel. Our rental has a ridiculously small washer so we were doing laundry constantly to keep up. I hope she understands just how helpful it is to have that taken off my plate.
- My stove-top coffee pot, that my daughter got me for Christmas. I had one in grad school and just loved that coffee pot. Until I forgot to add water one morning and burned the insides. But now, I get to wake up to the best coffee again!
There are blessings to be found everywhere. When we are focusing on what is negative, our abundance can be easy to miss. Instead, choose to find what already exists in our lives that we can appreciate. This simple task can change what we see in our world.
I challenge you to start looking for those things you can be grateful for. Need help getting to that point? Let’s chat!
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P.S.S. Did you enjoy this blog? Read more from Jessica’s Journal or watch Jessica’s Saturday Sessions.