For you newcomers to my blog: welcome and bienvenidos!
Every Thursday I share at least three things I’m thankful for to keep myself accountable for recognizing the upsides in life, both big and small.
Sharing my gratitude journal last year was a cathartic experience. The therapeutic release of expressing gratitude for the good things in my life helped me gain perspective, especially when I needed it most.
2013 was a murky year filled with loads of detours. I felt like the Griswolds in their car getting stuck in one of those British roundabouts in European Vacation.
Yeah, this was me, on a perpetual loop.
Sometimes I struggled with thinking optimistically about my future, but focusing my attention on the good in the present moment allowed me to open my mind up to the potential that lay beyond my own limits.
A recent post by Ozioma of Burnbright Lifeworks, reinforced what I learned this past year:
Many of us lead exceedingly complex lives where millions of bits of information pass right before our very eyes, much of which we will never retain. This phenomenon causes our minds to focus on what appears to stand out: the BIG things. BIG shows of love, BIG spikes in sales, BIG, BIG, BIG. Before we know it, we fall out of gratitude and forget about the small wins we experience every day. Over time, what would have been milestones on our journey become meaningless and what would have been cause to celebrate is now seen as cause to compare.
I once learned that if you do not celebrate your achievements, both big and small, it’s as if they never happened.
On our journey to live big dreams, we can’t forget about the small acts of kindness, the small triumphs, and the small steps of progress we take everyday. If you truly want to enjoy the life you have, while working towards what your life can be, it’s important that you learn to celebrate your wins, no matter how small. ¹
She sums it up pretty nicely, no?
This week was filled with crazy highs and lows for me, but after a year of living in gratitude and looking at the upside, it was much easier for me to cast aside the negative in favor of the moments that left me feeling ecstatic and appreciative of this life that I’m shaping each day.
So, without further ado, here are three things I’m thankful for this week.
Have I convinced you to start your own gratitude journal yet???
No worries, I’ll be back here each Thursday sharing my journey and hopefully getting you to see the advantages to being grateful for the life you’re living now.
Until then, think about what may be blocking you from what you truly want for yourself. What are those barriers? How can you move past them? What puts a smile on your face each day? Consider those answers and open your eyes to the world around you.
As always, keep paying it forward. Stay healthy! 🙂
CITED WORK
¹How to Live the Life of Your Dreams Entheos Academy
Food4ThoughtNYC 
Hi Maribel!! Okay, you’ve convinced me. I’ve been exhausted and unmotivated all week. So let me try some gratitude to change the course for the week. This week I’m grateful for…
1. Achieving my running goal last week and getting support through my friends on my running app. I haven’t run this week yet but hey, I think I’ll do a mile today!
2. Breakfast cooked by my husband this morning. A first that changed things up. Shows me that it really is the little things that make a difference.
3. Funny Vines that make me giggle.
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This is wonderful friend! And hey, you’ve got something else to look forward to: a google hangout tonight with your best friends. Like you said, it’s the little things. I applaud you! 🙂
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I’m so glad you came to my blog today, because I get to see a post from YOU! Now I won’t miss any – I believe I’m subscribed, or have you on Bloglovin.
I’ve had a weird week of being sick (rarely ever happens) and having huge career steps. It’s been…huge. And we’re going to Disney World in a week. I have gratitude for these opportunities, and for finding the strength to overcome anxiety and do all of these things. Plus I want to go to my first blog conference in 2014 and these jobs will help make that possible.
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That sounds amazing Tamara- and best of luck with those huge career steps! It’s a major blessing to find yourself moving forward, especially when its something you’ve been working hard to achieve. Congrats!! Enjoy that warm weather in Florida. This winter NEEDS to be over soon, lol! Thank you for stopping by!
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