I’ve concluded the yet another week of practicing gratitude every day this month for National Gratitude Month.

Here’s what I was thankful for:

Day 15: In light of all that we’ve been through this year, I’m grateful that I’m still able to find joy where I can. For example, normally I’m one of those people who believes we absolutely should wait until one holiday passes before we celebrate the next. Thanksgiving first and then Christmas. But this year, we’ve thrown it all to the wind and it’s so much fun to do what we want! I decorated for Halloween at the end of August and we put up our Christmas tree on Sunday. While we haven’t fully decorated our tree yet, it does have lights and those lights make me extremely happy, filling me with cheer and hope even as the days get shorter and the nights get colder and the coronavirus cases spike again. We may just leave this tree up for all of 2021.

Day 16:  I’m thankful that sometimes things aren’t always as bad as they may initially seem. When you suffer from anxiety, there’s a tendency to always overthink and misread. Luckily, things often work out just fine despite our worst fears, and I’m very grateful for that. Last month I made a very tough–and honestly, stupid–decision to leave my current job at the end of the month to pursue something I’m more passionate about. I’ve been miserable at work for a while now (what else is new?) and it has been affecting my physical and mental health. I don’t have anything concrete lined up yet but a few things are in the works so I have hope and am thankful that I’m able to take this huge leap right now at a time when everything is so uncertain.

Day 17: I’m grateful for tummy tickles and blissful laughter at bedtime. Parenting is hard. Being a 3.5 year old with big feelings and little control over them is hard. So when we get a chance to just play and laugh, we take it even if delays bedtime. Tonight, after reading our bedtime stories, I laid in Sebastian’s bed with him and tickled him while he laughed and just enjoyed the time I get to spend with him. He’s growing up so fast so I’m incredibly thankful for these little moments.

Day 18: I’m so very thankful for my good health, even if it has been an emotional rollercoaster! This summer I started seeing a new cardiologist and, upon reviewing my records, she sent me to have an MRI because she wanted to be sure that what I experienced in 2017 was a heart attack and not something else. Today we learned that it was, in fact, a heart attack but that my heart function has returned to normal and I’m good to go. I may have taken my health for granted before, but I sure don’t anymore and for that I am grateful.

Day 19: I’m thankful for all of the teachers in my life. Not only those who teach as a profession, but also those who may or may not realize that they’re imparting useful knowledge to others. Please allow me to say thank you to the daycare and preschool teachers, professional teachers and instructors, mentors, parents, friends, etc. You are so valuable and I hope you always feel appreciated; I know I am so grateful for you.

Day 20: I’m thankful for my little brother. It was great to grow up with someone who I could boss around (and insist he bring me all the snacks) but also to fiercely protect from the bullies who didn’t even stand a chance against our family! We may not be as close as we once were, but I’m so grateful to have a brother who is incredibly smart and always makes me think about the difficult stuff, but also makes me laugh until my belly hurts.

Day 21: I’m thankful for the opportunity to get away and relax, to clear my head and recharge. I have to figure out what the next chapter of my career holds and taking a weekend trip to the beach was a good place to start thinking about it.

That’s it for week 3. What are you thankful for?

Read week 2 here.
Read week 1 here.

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