Be Grateful for the Small Stuff

It seems to me that today of all days, I need to laugh at the craziness of the day and thank my youngest family member for creating a day to take pause and be grateful for all that I have. I mean really, be grateful for all that I have. Today, like many busy weekdays took an unexpected twist: the car batteries dead (it’s a hybrid so 2 batteries-oy -no jump-start would work), Husband out of town- woke up at 3 am and couldn’t fall back to sleep and its pouring rain and we are late to school. 

So began my day. 

Boots and jackets on, walking to the primary school we came across so many sights and sounds that I had forgotten about because well, we don’t take the time to walk in the rain these days. Birds were out, the sound of the rain on the stroller and the WORMS! Wow, the worms were the best. So big that E said he wished he could be a worm crossing guard! If it were a thing, he said it would be his job to keep them safe. 

How many moments do we almost miss in life because we get caught up with the bustle of the day instead of taking the slow deliberate pace of our inner child? 

Yes, I was dripping wet and hot and not to mention couldn’t see out of my glasses, but the feeling of being alive permeated every cell of my being. Moving through the rain, I felt alive and purposeful with each step I took. But it has taken me a long time to get here. I have made a conscious effort in the last few years with gaps in between, of course, to be more grateful for all that I have. 

No matter how grumpy I may become I try to pause and remind myself to look around and come up with 10 things that I am grateful for at that moment. The smaller the better I have found for they are more meaningful. Then my list grows in my mind and just like that the grumpy mood starts to dwindle as I move through my surroundings.

So here is my list from today: dry socks, fall foliage, gigantic worms on our wet walk, that we made it before the pledge was over, a little girl held the door for us, ladybugs in my hair, neighbors to help with car, leftovers for lunch, my dogs were smiling on their way home from the walk, the sun on my face and a body to take me where I need to go. You see, the dead battery was really a gift because I had to slow down my day and just take care of the basics. Oh yeah, and I logged about 7 miles of walking in the fall air!  

Many, many times in our busy lives we need the intentional big reminder to stop and pause. 

To be grateful. Like right now.. I am writing this while waiting for my tow truck...in the sun on a fall day in the middle of a truck bay outside the air force base, I live on…boys are safe and I can take stock of how lucky I am to be in this moment.

At the moment, gratitude is great for de-escalating tension but really to be transformational, it needs to be a routine practice preferably in the beginning or the end of the day. I have kept a gratitude journal for a long time. It’s my practice to have two journals one to write whatever I need to for the moment and the other is only for what I am thankful for and I start most days either writing it down or listing it in my head as my mornings do get a bit crazy in this season of life. 

As a life coach, I often find that many of my clients don’t notice the small changes they are experiencing. 

We want to see results and often while working to improve their fertility we see the changes in the phases of the cycle or reduction in cramps. We need to celebrate these small successes and give ourselves the grace to heal over time. The body takes time to rebalance itself. Smaller shifts give us a glimpse of the body moving in the right direction. We are so busy trying to achieve the goals we have for ourselves myself included, that we fail to see progress and the journey. Let’s change that. 

Let’s allow each day to be a gift in the pathway to healing ourselves because ultimately, we create the best version of ourselves over time. This is the best gift we can give our children. 

A foundation that is strong in which to grow. 

Blessings, Lisa

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