I’m pretty sure I could write about being thankful every week.
This weekend certainly is the perfect time to reflect on all of the parts of our lives that matter the most.
What happens to us when we don’t feel thankful? Do you ever have those days where you have so much on the go that you kinda feel a little sorry for yourself? You want to crawl back in bed and tell the world to go away? Or what about on the weekend when you feel exhausted and it’s a gorgeous sunny day? Do you feel guilty for wanting to close all the curtains, unplug the phone, watch movies and hide?
I know many of us go through this. We are so busy taking care of work, taking care of our families, taking care of the dog, the house, the meals, the laundry – I think you get the drift.
What about taking care of #1? That’s YOU in case you weren’t sure.
While there are many parts of life to be thankful for, I think it’s important to think why you are thankful for YOU. You see, you have a light inside of you, an energy you share that is quite spectacular. When you sparkle you can be the best person possible for the ones you love.
I encourage you to take time for yourself. Release the guilt and give yourself permission to rest and rejuvenate.
Next week find an hour to sit down look in the mirror and write down all the things that you feel thankful for when it comes to you. Do you think this is a tough challenge? Let me put it in perspective. Picture the person in your life whom you love the most – your husband, your Mom, your Dad, your child, a grandparent, a grandchild. When you think of this person and why you are thankful they are in your life – it’s probably an absolute no brainer. I would bet you can’t even find enough words in the dictionary to express why you are thankful for them. Don’t you think you deserve the same?
As busy humans we are constantly struggling with life balance. While I was in Germany with my Mom (–for whom I am sooooooo thankful for – by the way) I really took note of the European lifestyle and how they seem to work hard, eat well, exercise and make time for family and friends. My uncle asked me how much I was working. He asked me to describe my typical day.
It went a little something like this, “I set my alarm and hit snooze until the last minute, try to make time for the gym if I can, work all day, home by 6, cook dinner, watch one show with Wayne and then get back on the computer until 11:30, bring the phone to bed, catch up on more work and fall asleep just after 12.”
His response was, “My dear girl, you are getting too old for this crap, you need to take care of yourself. Here is what you need to do. When you get home to Canada you will get up even earlier, try 6:30 every morning. You will eat a good breakfast and start working right away. You will give yourself until 4pm to finish what you need to do and then you will go to the gym, unwind and have a sauna afterwards. When you come home you will enjoy the evening with Wayne, everything else can wait until the next day.”
Simple advice and so powerful. The new system is working so far. The biggest change I’ve experienced from this advice is when I’m working out or relaxing in the sauna I’m thinking happy thoughts. I’m reflecting on the trip with my Mom, I’m thinking about happy childhood memories, I’m getting excited about what I’m going to cook for dinner. My thoughts have shifted from worry and anticipation to gratitude and thankfulness for the life I create for myself.
Next time you want to close the curtains, unplug the phone and hide from the outside world, do it and check the guilt at the door. It might just be your inner self asking you to make a small shift in the direction of a better life for you!
Monica XO
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