Daily Dose of Gratitude

Chances are plenty of people have seen the inspiring story of an Australian woman who turned her life around in only a year simply by starting with her own thoughts (link to the story is posted below). This woman, Lynne Scrivens, made the changes she desperately hoped to achieve through gratitude. She was the living embodiment of, "The secret of change is to focus all your energy not on fighting the old, but building the new." Which, for those of you who might not recognize the quote, is from Socrates (I mean, according to Pinterest. I really have no clue). This woman decided to take steer her focus and her thoughts toward what was going right, what was positive in her life, and welcoming more positive energy in. All it required of her was posting one facebook status a day about what she was grateful for. That's something that literally takes less time than posting that cat video on your friend's timeline, or posting 20. Let's be honest, posting one cat video is like eating one potato chip- even Olympic gold medalists don't have that level of self control.

So many of us struggle to accept the simple truth (I'm certainly guilty of it) that our thoughts really are the only thing in this world that we can control. Our kids may rebel, the weather may turn, and even dictators may find that the ones they've suppressed for so long now refuse to be stepped on. But our thoughts are 100%, absolutely, genuinely ours. I really do believe what pretty much every motivational speaker and 85% of the people on the Oprah channel love to tell us until they're blue in the face: our thoughts control our future. It's such an obvious and uncomplicated thing, that as a whole I think a lot of us are reluctant to accept it's validity.

But not me. At least not anymore. I've decided to take a leaf out of Lynne Scrivens' book and make time to think every day about what I'm grateful for. I'll be positing these thoughts weekly on this blog. So here's to a wonderful, and positive, new year.

Week 1

Monday: I'm grateful for caregivers that genuinely care about my little brother and always go the extra mile for him.

Tuesday: I'm grateful for snow days at home with my mom, brother, and nephew.
Wednesday: I'm grateful for my baby brother, Beau. Beau's 19 and not a baby anymore, but he still has cerebral palsy. Just like the day he was born. He drives me nuts sometimes, especially when he acts like the snide and opinionated teenager he is, but this video just reminded me of everything else he is. He's my fucking rock and center. I can't really say I don't know where I'd be without him, because I've spent a lot of time in reflection and becoming the self-realized person I am. I have a pretty good idea of who I would have been without his perfect soul in his imperfect package, and I don't like that person. I don't tell him nearly enough, but he's the mother fuckin' tits. You know when in the video when he says that his life would be nothing without her? It may sound cliche, and hyberbolic, and just untrue, but there is no more sincere sentiment I could give about him. He's given my life purpose and direction and I will never stop owing my crooked little man every day for the rest of my crooked little life.
http://www.faithit.com/hed-take-a-bullet-for-her-sister-brother-beautiful-relationship-disability/
Thursday: I'm thankful for my inspirational and brilliant mother. She pushes me everyday to see the world for it's multitude of possibilities and to never, ever settle. I can't imagine a more supportive best friend.
Friday: I'm grateful for my job, which takes very little of my time and gives me paid study time!
Saturday: I'm grateful for friends who make studying for a tough test exponentially more amusing and bearable than studying by myself.
Sunday: I'm grateful for semi-warm days in the middle of the polar vortex so that I can enjoy a warm walk in the park.

http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/how-a-year-of--grateful--facebook-posts-changed-this-woman-s-life-190520260.html