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Today I am grateful for a break from the norm.  As proud as I am of doing all the work for my meal prep, I realized that I didn’t have to do as much as I was.  I was able to take a break today and not have to spend hours in the kitchen.  I was also able to get laundry done yesterday so the evening wasn’t spent putting clothes away.

Today I am grateful for the opportunity to be gentle with myself.  There are always a million things we have to do but I wasn’t feeling it today so I put aside 95% of what I normally would do and just let go.  My son hasn’t been feeling well so I tended to him today and we played.  I was able to get the essentials done but I didn’t push for anything else.  I let what was done be enough.

Today I am grateful to reconnect with family.  We hadn’t been able to spend much time with my husband’s father over the last few years and he came over today.  We all sat together and caught up on things.  It was really nice to see how happy my husband was to spend that time with his dad.  It was also really nice to have our son see his grandfather.

Today I am grateful to be making progress.  Quite literally last week I wasn’t sure that I would even have a family and this week has given me the opportunity to reflect on how far I’ve come.  Even though there is constant motion and things are always in flux, I have definitely started to make some progress to where I need to be.  I haven’t shied away from what needs to be done and I am learning to acclimate as I go along.  I mentioned the other way that you can’t go into the kitchen and expect to come out with a cake without breaking a few eggs.  I have to learn to follow my own advice because I was definitely jumping ahead of the game.  My expectations were of a completed product and I lost sight of being happy with what I’ve managed so far.

Today I am grateful for emotional control.  As I mentioned my son isn’t feeling well and it is something he has dealt with since he was born.  He is starting to see some additional symptoms that I’m not sure how to deal with (we are taking him to the doctor this week) and they’re a little scary.  I used to think that I was immune to this because we’ve been dealing with it for 3 years but I still feel so helpless and terrified of what could really be happening to him.  Today I knew that he needed me and that losing my mind would be of no use to him.  So I worked through it and helped him to stay as calm as I could.  I comforted him and held him through every episode—and that was all he needed today.  He just needed love and support and I am happy I was able to give that to him.

Today I am grateful to just be.  I’m really understanding the lessons around taking things as they come.  Any time spent speculating is time wasted because the results are never guaranteed.  I used to romanticize the thought of knowing everything, knowing every move, reading people’s actions and knowing their next move.  All that has done was create an anxious state not spent recognizing my own needs or even my role in situations.  I’ve spent so much energy anticipating things—usually to the negative end—when that energy could have been better spent just being in the moment.  There is nothing other than what is here right now.  Don’t waste energy on something that isn’t even real.

Today I am grateful for the essence of who I am.  I’ve been incredibly judgy about myself and I’ve set expectations that aren’t realistic.  It’s all bullshit.  I don’t need to be this perfected version of a person with no flaws in order to be worthy or to get where I want to be and I certainly don’t need to be that version of a person to get started.  It’s ok to be at peace with who I am and it’s ok to be proud of the things I have accomplished.  I am human and I am making progress—that’s all we can ask.  For so long I had been focused on the finish line not thinking that the finish line means it’s over.  It’s ok to be ok with ourselves.  In fact, accepting who we are and where we are is the only way to make changes and move forward.

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I think it’s important from time to time to take a moment and observe.  No pushing, no desiring the next level, no desperate actions.  Just being where you are.  Just looking at where you’re at and acknowledging the accomplishments you’ve made.  Recognize that you are where you need to be because you’ve already made it this far.  It’s ok to enjoy the pause and to celebrate where you’re at.  When you can acknowledge your successes it opens the door for more.  Plus it gives you time to regroup and prepare for the next level without hustling for it.

It’s important to remember that this is how it begins: small.  Innocuous, even.  One breath at a time.  But it begins and we are moved from the before to the after.  One day we are working to make it and then we have made it.  We are changed, we are no longer what we were before.  We are no longer who we were in the before.  We often don’t realize they are happening.  It’s a subtle shift.  What was once tolerable no longer is.  What was funny no longer is.  What used to appeal and the things we wanted no longer seems important.  We grow, and we act according to this new information.  Don’t limit yourself to the confines of what your fears tell you.

Believe in the possibilities because there is real magic in the world.  We can reawaken it.  We show that belief by showing appreciation in the steps along the way.  I’ve spoken before about how we have been trained to only celebrate the big wins, or the overall win.  That mentality diminishes the work we do along the way.  It undermines the small victories.  We have every right to celebrate the steps we take toward our goals because there are people who are afraid to even honor what they really feel let alone take a single step toward what they want.  In a society that trains us to deny what we want, this toxic trait is making people cynical toward themselves.  If we expect to feel any sense of happiness we can’t wait for one moment, one grand goal to bring that to us—every step counts.

For me, I want people to see the beauty in the little things.  The simple things can often mean the most.  Honestly, when I started looking at what I had accomplished it gave me a boost to continue working on the things I wanted.  It gave me the confidence to continue working toward my goals.  I’m talking about everything from being grateful to breathe, to having clothes, to doing something fun that day, to doing whatever little thing it may be that you enjoy—and being in that moment.

There are a lot of moments in life that we gloss over as unimportant.  But when we stop and look at how lucky we are, how blessed we are, you understand that each moment is a gift, not just the end result.  No matter what it is, there is something to be grateful for.  Take the time to find that in every day, celebrate this life because that is where the joy is.  We have to create it—so create it as beautifully as you can.  Start where you are—that’s all you need to do.

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Today I am grateful for completion.  We managed to finish several projects we’ve been procrastinating on and it feels amazing.  I also was able to do a ton of food prep this week—not just lunches, but dinners and a snack as well.  It felt like an incredibly productive day.

Today I am grateful for the amazing little moments.  This morning while I was doing all of my meal prep, my son came in the room and he helped me put together the last of the snacks by rolling them in coconut for me.  He had an absolute blast and it was the first time he got to do more than just watch me—which he loves doing that as well—but he impressed me and really helped out.  It’s pretty awesome to watch my little man grow up.

Today I am grateful for spontaneity.  While we were waiting for laundry to get done and for a few other miscellaneous things to finish, we had the opportunity to run as a family and get our hair cut.  It was nice to get all of our hair done at once.  Since my cousin cuts hair, it was also a nice chance to see her and catch up.

Today I am grateful for extra snuggles.  Right before we decided to go get our hair cut, my son and I snuggled on the couch together and laughed and got cozy under the blankets.  I feel so fortunate to have such an affectionate son.

Today I am grateful for a level headed husband.  There were a lot of emotions today and a lot of chaos but he kept going forward.  I had wanted to get some of this work done yesterday so I was a little frustrated but we managed to pull it off today.

Today I am grateful for trying a new routine.  The last two mornings I have been up relatively early and the first thing I have done is take care of the dog and then the cats.  After the dog ate, I then took her out for another walk.  Moving my body first thing in the morning isn’t something I usually have the time to do and it felt amazing.  It made me realize how much I sit and how much more I need to move.

Today I am grateful for the new perception of time.  I struggle with anxiety related to time and not getting things finished when I feel they should be.  As I was enjoying the walk/run I took with the dog this morning, I realized that all of the pressure I put on myself related to time is just that: pressure I put on myself.  Things always get done.  Always.  Going with the situation and doing what needs to be done is much easier than fighting it.

Today I am grateful for my bed.  As I write this, I’m thinking of what a busy weekend it has been and I am looking forward to sleep.  I’m proud I’ve been moving things forward again because it means that I am working toward my goals—and making progress.  But I am enjoying the process.  It feels better taking action than it does sitting and waiting for something to happen.  Small Steps for Big Results.

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“Go ahead, you never know what can be on the other side”  Life is too short and there are too many options for us to constantly play it safe.  There is no reason to not go after what it is we want most in the world.  90% of the fears we feel we were taught or are in our own head so it stands to reason that if our own limitations are what stops us then we need to learn to get beyond those limits.  Nansia Movidi says, “Be true to yourself and watch how captivating life really is.  How beautifully everything aligns just for you.”  I truly believe that when we find what we are meant to do that authenticity radiates to the universe and shows us the next step.  We wouldn’t be given the idea to pursue an action if we weren’t capable.  Step out of your own way and see what happens.

Speaking from experience, I can say that everything changes once you take a chance on yourself.  All it took for me to garner some confidence was actually seeing my dream through and pushing the “publish” button on my first post.  I did it with minimal knowledge of how to maintain a blog or even the direction it would be going in but I still did it. The point is to take that action whether you are an expert or a novice.  You learn a ton from taking that first chance.  There is a huge stigma about being our own cheerleaders as if it is something to be ashamed of.  Like we aren’t allowed to take action until we have approval that we are good enough.  Trust me, most of those who are pointing critical fingers your way are those who didn’t take a chance on themselves.

You don’t need permission to do something you love.  No one has the right to tell you what is good enough or what you should be doing.  And quite frankly, we only get one ticket on this ride so make it count and take the chance you want to experience what you want to experience.  There isn’t a right time or place, there is only what we have in front of us and where we are at.  We can either work with that and take the steps to get where we want to be or we can stagnate.  I believe we are meant to experience magic while we are here and we have lost sight of that because we are taught to see value in things, not experiences.  The fact that we are here at all is magic and we shouldn’t take it for granted.

People so often regret the things they didn’t do while they had the chance so don’t wait for someone to tell you it’s ok.  You are here right now and you can make it happen and the right people will always find you to help your dreams along the way.  Don’t think that you need to wait for everything to be perfect before you try something new.

This life is a gift.  Don’t waste it being part of a broken machine.  Take the time to get honest with yourself and see what ignites you.  Once you see that little spark inside, there is no going back.  Life on the other side of what you fear is a whole new ballgame.  The opportunities we see when we let go of what we think has to happen are far greater than what we contrive in our minds.  We can always add value to where we are by being who we are meant to be.  Don’t ever think that what you do isn’t a gift or isn’t needed.  There are always people who need your input and the message you deliver speaks to them.

So, be the flame, be the instigator, ignite your life and let your spark shine.  Don’t be afraid of what other people say because if they think you’re too bright, they aren’t meant for you.  Take your time and don’t let anyone hold you back.  Be authentic.  Be real.  Just be who you are meant to be without fear, shame, or concern for whether or not it is the right thing.  You can’t go wrong when you are authentic and of service to those around you.

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Today I am grateful for the pause.  It has been a particularly busy week and I feel blessed today to have some fun.  The family and I were able to go to a fishing expo and walk around doing something we normally don’t do: look at boats, meet with some local fishers, and explore some options for future things we might like to do together as a family.

Today I am grateful for trying new things, specifically new recipes.  I’ve been incredibly focused on trying to prepare healthy recipes for myself for the week and today I got to put together a beautiful tofu stir fry.  I have bigger health goals in mind but it makes me feel good to be maintaining this first one because I’m working on re-wiring my brain to eat healthier foods consistently.  The little things, like the hour or so it takes to meal prep makes all the difference.  It also feels good because the meals have been turning out really well 😊

Today I am grateful for different perspectives.  I got to listen to one of the people from a local group my husband follows and it was pretty cool to hear as well as see the results of a team that works together on a project that yields results.  Not that I didn’t have an ideal team built in my mind previously, but it’s still cool to see how different teams pull together based on what they are trying to achieve.

Today I am grateful to open up to possibilities.  As a rigid person who is content with set routines, it’s challenging for me to sway too far from the norm.  Seeing the group I mentioned above, however, was a close-to-home demonstration of how it’s really done.  It also gave me a goal of working on a project with my husband that isn’t necessarily related to the house or bills but on something creative we build together. Seeing how the natural progression of any goal sways and dips and picks up is a reminder that life is always in flux so there’s not a set way to achieve a goal.

Today I am grateful for the reminder to live within my means.  There is no need to continually strive for things upon things because that takes away from the bigger goal.  When all we focus on is getting the next thing, we lose sight of the goal because the goal becomes about getting things.  At this stage in my life I want something more meaningful than the acquisition of crap we will ultimately have to get rid of.

Today I am grateful for simplifying.  When it comes to living within our means, recognizing what you can do with what you have right now is a valuable tool.  We truly don’t need as much as we think we do and the space created from getting rid of all the clutter is even more valuable.  As life ebbs and flows, there is a need to leave room to move with those shifts.  Prioritizing what is useful and what is extraneous and eliminating the excess is a release.  I always wanted to be prepared for any event but I see now that when the need arises, there is usually a way that presents itself, so there’s no need to clutter up with things that may only be needed some day.

Today I am grateful for small breakthroughs.  I’ve been working so hard on changing the basics of my life while maintaining what I’m doing and it’s been a challenge because it’s like living straddling two lanes.  I’ve finally reached the point where I can’t stretch any longer and I actually feel ok with it.  It’s the realization that to make the change I have to fully commit and just start doing what I know I need to do—make the change and stick with it.  It’s so easy to say we have to do things but we always take some comfort knowing we can always revert back to our old ways.  In order to get any real advance, we have to commit and not let ourselves slip because every action, decision, or non-decision is a choice toward a new life or repeating the old.  I want to embrace the new so I have to do that.  It means letting it all go and not worrying that it was the wrong choice.

Today I am grateful for the basics.  We really have everything we need—a home, clothes, food, and water.  The rest is just gravy and I am incredibly grateful that we are able to do that.  It feels good knowing I don’t have to search for something more or try to fill up with more junk.  I can let go of the distraction of trying to get that last thing that will mean I, we, made it.  I can enjoy it and just feel satisfaction.  Yes, I still have goals of making our lives more comfortable but I am in a position where we can actively start doing that and it is a privilege.

Today I am also grateful for the coziness of being inside.  It has turned into an extremely chilly and gloomy day so it’s comforting to be inside and cuddled up with a couple of cats while I’m working on this.