Five Things A Day...

I have a trick I use whenever I get into a morbid, brooding mood.

I write in my gratitude journal. I know it sounds like a platitude, however it really helps. I write five things I am grateful for daily and it makes such a difference! An instant cure it is not, but it is a lasting solution.

Sustainable, adjustable and fun!

I write any five things at all, sometimes with no explanation whatsoever. Othertimes I might be grateful for something I saw or witnessed that day, and describe the incident or I simply write in a few lyrics of a song I enjoyed. I am often thankful for toes and for chicken, and for my family. Even for straws! I love straws.

The beautiful thing too is that when you are having a moment -good or bad- you can open your little gratitude book and see thousands of beautiful, simple pleasures that you find in life. Which lets be real, those are often the most wonderful things of all. Those beautiful moments slipping by deserve to be remembered and cherished. Life is a gift. I wonder what would happen if we treated it like one more frequently?

Would we embrace it more fully? Wear our experiences like a crown and be pleased with who we are? Perhaps some would choose to change and go to places and seek out experiences that bring them pleasure- Memories they will be grateful to have.

We have one life to live. Why wish for something else? This is your time to shine and be happy.

I love the scripture, "Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy." found in 2 Nefi 2:25 of the Book of Mormon. One of my religions sacred texts. We are that we might have joy. That is what we are for. This earth spits a lot of challenges at us but that is okay, because we can choose to have joy. In the face of everything we can still be grateful. It is all in how we respond to life. In how we choose to be. We are. Let's enjoy it.

Love ya'all,

Shaylee

P.S. Try actually writing your gratitude down, not just typing it. You might find it therapeutic. Whichever way floats your boat you go for it, have courage and love life!