Searching For Gratitude

I have posted on social media a lot this month about gratitude.  I write in a journal most every day.  I find it calming when I'm having a bad day, but mostly, I find it satisfying to just get my thoughts down.

I noticed toward the end of July that I was writing a lot about things that upset me, worried me, or irritated me.  Basically, a lot of negative things. So when I got to the end of the July chapter, I decided that the August chapter would be about gratitude.  I felt I needed that.

August 1st, I started my new chapter as I do every month, but this month the title wasn't Aug '21.  It was Attitude of Gratitude. My first week was easy.  August 1st was our first day at the lake with the entire family.  So for the first week of August, I was grateful for the opportunity to take a vacation with my family, and of course things like baby giggles, beautiful sunrises, kayaking with Emily at 6AM to watch that sun rise, kayaking with Taylor and Angie, enjoying the gorgeous lake, watching my Punkins catch, clean, and cook fish, learning a life lesson along the way, and of course all the Punkin loving.  And that precious time when both my boys were there together. Then there was that moment that Troy and I looked around at those boys, our daughter-in-law, the Punkins, and the Great Punkin, and said "Wow! We created all this!"  That realization that without us, none of these people would be here. That is monumental!

So obviously, that first week was easy.  The next week, I was grateful for good friends, a job that allowed me to save money for that lake vacation, the business that I own with Troy, etc., etc.

But then it happened...

I had a really bad day and couldn't put my finger on anything that I was grateful for.  I was explaining this to two good friends today after we did a great workout together (something I was grateful for on 8/11 as a matter of fact---like minded fitness friends who have become very good friends...my tribe!). I wrote on that non-grateful day this:  Trying to find something today to be grateful for.  I know I'm very bessed.  Just hard to see some days.

Well, everyone has bad days. I am no exception.  The important thing to remember here is that it's one bad day. So you have to look a little harder to find your gratefulness that day.  So what?  Tomorrow is another day. Don't let one day ruin your week, month, life, whatever.  

Did I find something to be grateful for the next day?  You bet I did.  I went back and reread my Grateful Journal. Wow am I grateful!  

So today, along with being grateful for my husband's green thumb after a dinner of garden bounty deliciousness, I am once again grateful for those two fantastic friends.  We had such a great time chatting today...as we always do.  We talked about something one of them posted yesterday... Sometimes God will change your circle to change your life.  I truly feel that God put these two women in my path for a reason.  They listen without judgement, they check in at random times to be sure all is well, they encourage me, they lift me up, and they pray for me.  And the best part?  They do this for everyone.  They are the kind of women who lift other women up! That is a rarity sometimes these days.

So the purpose of this blog post?  The next time you find yourself searching for gratitude, take a look around. You know you're blessed, but you just can't feel that gratitude? I've been there. Here's my advice. Cut yourself some slack. Tomorrow is another day.  It's ok to have an off day.  We all do.