4 little hits of gratitude

in the spirit of thanksgiving i’ve been reading several blogs on gratitude (and anything with pumpkin).  most of the posts i've read speak to the benefits of gratitude and how to harness it for a better quality of life, improved happiness …blah, blah, blah.  while that's all well and good that’s not what i was looking for.  what i was looking for was something more… inspirational.  something that would shift my focus from the possibility of what things can / should be or what's missing in my life to what things are and what i have to be thankful for, which is a lot!  i was looking for a fresh perspective on gratitude.

when i got to this particular post i found that inspiration!  the author takes you on a journey through her somewhat messy and dated kitchen, yes a kitchen, wearing fresh ‘perspectacles’ and shares a unique lesson in gratitude.  her ability to see beauty and significance in the mundane is exactly what i needed.  it’s a fantastic reminder that we all have something to be thankful for this holiday. 

and with that here are my hits of gratitude; the things i’m enjoyng this season to keep me mindful of what i have that makes me happy and the days more meaningful. 

1.       working it out – believe it or not a good sweat sesh keeps me grounded and makes me appreciate my body and all that it can do.  it's the realization that I’m not marion jones (damn!) that has me loving what i am healthy enough to do and satisfied that it’s enough.

2.       getting together – our family and friends (and little Allie) mean the world to us.  spending time together has me appreciating a job with paid holidays and the ability to travel without much limitation. 

3.       leaving it at the door – for the past several weeks we have both been checking e-mail at night and bringing work home on the weekends; blurring the lines between work and home.  this month (and maybe all of January too) i’m leaving it at the office. 

4.       giving thanks for the simple things – having 4-wheel drive vehicles, listening to my music choice on the way to work, the keurig on my counter (mercy!  i can’t even imagine functioning without a cup of joe these days!), snuggling with my loves each morning, lighting a candle at night - these are the things that keep me sane day to day.  

happy thanksgiving!