Be Grateful

I am, by nature, a negative person. I have the tendency to think the worst, blow things out of proportion, and assume doom and gloom. It’s true what they say, things run in the family, because this is the way my dad is, hands down.


I try to keep this under control. I try to be positive, upbeat, and always think the best of people and of situations. Does it always work? Heck no. Some days...weeks....sometimes (hopefully not often) months, I get wrapped up in the worst of everything. It drags me down, makes me tired, keeps up me up at night, and puts a lot of strain on the atmosphere of my little home. Last time this happened to me, Gareth started writing me little notes and leaving them on stickies in random places where I would find them. It totally helped lift my mood! It made me stop and readjust my attitude. The reminder to be positive was much needed.

I have been reading Jillian Michael’s book, Making the Cut. The book is, of course, about weight loss, exercise and eating (seeing as how it’s a book written by Jillian Michaels). BUT she deals with what most of us struggle with that is so linked to our health...our mental state. One thing in particular she stresses? Mantras. So here’s mine for now:

Be grateful.

Man oh man, has it ever helped! Whenever I get sad, or down, or worked up about something, I visualize something to be grateful about. If I’m sad about a friendship gone sour, I stop picturing that person, and instead picture someone who is amazing to me. If I stress about work, I think about something great I did during the day. In short, stop agonizing about things, be happy...and BE GRATEFUL!

So...here’s a few things, I’m grateful about right now:

~ My super hot husband who also happens to be the nicest guy on the planet.

~ My crazy awesome friends who pick me up, make me smile and show me constant love.

~ Eating salads every day because everything is so fresh and wonderful.

~ Having the ability to ride my bike to work, partly through the river valley. I’ve spotted some cool photo locations!

~ Having the gym right beside work so I can go at lunch. I don’t know what I would do otherwise!

~ Sleep coming back.

~ Sunshine.

xox
Shauna