Hey guys! For those of you who celebrate Turkey Day – HAPPY BELATED THANKSGIVING! Let’s all take this as a reminder to be thankful 365 days out of the year, not just a couple days. 😉

My life is definitely not perfect, but compared to a couple of years ago, I’m doing a lot better. Back then, I wasn’t straying from the path getting distracted hardcore partying, drinking, etc.; instead, I was on the opposite end of the life spectrum. I was trying way too hard to be perfect with EVERYTHING.

So here I was on this self-destructive journey where I would try to work really hard in short bursts of motivation and energy. Little did I know that life isn’t a race, it’s truly a marathon. After a couple of months I would burn out, crash, and have to reset. It became a repeating pattern. I felt like I couldn’t even stop to smell the roses, look up at the sky, or take a deep breath in; it always felt like I was running against the clock.

I am now trying to break that bad habit by keeping a journal. It has pushed me to slow down in life and give me time to reflect on all the things I do have…instead of always focusing on what I don’t have.

Just three things that I’m grateful for. On bad days, I’m merely grateful that I have the knowledge that ‘this too shall pass’. On good days, I’m grateful for everything – that I’m alive, that I got to see the sun, drive around in my beautiful car, etc.

In addition, because I can have a defeatist attitude at times, I write down three things I accomplished that day. It can be the simplest of tasks, such as: I woke up early today! I washed the dishes. I went grocery shopping instead of eating out. Or it can be big things: I finally turned in that document I’ve been working on for weeks. I paid off all my debt. I forgave someone who really hurt me in my life.

Sometimes there’s no better cheerleader than yourself. It’s so healthy for our souls when we step back and are grateful; it’s also very healthy to give yourself a mental pat on the back.

Do you keep a gratitude journal? How do you battle your own blues in your life? 😉

Cheers,
Alice