Happy hump day everyone 🙂 It’s another week, which means one more opportunity to look outside ourselves and express gratitude. I’m feeling extra grateful and empathetic lately with all the goings-on with the shooting in Thousand Oaks last week, along with the countless fires. It’s easy to feel helpless in moments like these, but one silver lining (of hopefully many) has been unity. I hate that it often requires disasters, but I can’t help but feel hopeful and inspired seeing people helping other people – regardless of their race, political affiliation, status, etc.. At the end of the day, we are all human, and therefore not exempt from the disasters and heartaches this world dishes out. I’d say the best thing we can do is be there for one another.
A few ways we can help:
Support low-income neighbors affected by Woolsey
Red Cross
Week 8: Express gratitude to three people: Instead of calling out three specific people, I’ve decided to speak generally, and think of 3 categories of people I’ve encountered in my life!
The people it didn’t work out with; these people are not always easy to be grateful for, and it usually requires a lot of work on our part to get even close to a place of gratitude. One of my favorite life lessons this year has been learning how to *gracefully let people go. I say it’s one of my favorites, but… it’s been pretty damn hard. I’ve learned a lot about myself and the way I perceive various relationships in my life, and I’ve gotten to a place where I feel confident about what I expect in relationships (along with what I’m comfortable giving in return), and I think that sticking to those boundaries saves everyone’s time. That being said, we never know the purpose that someone entering or exiting our lives will serve, and I’ve learned it’s best we don’t cling on to what has passed. I’m thankful for the lessons I’ve learned through the people who aren’t currently in my life – but who knows, maybe they will be again someday 🙂
The people currently in my life; I can’t help but say: I’m most thankful for these people! Because these are the people I get to tell my stories to, have dinner with, learn from, and live alongside. I love the quote: “You can’t change the people around you, but you can change the people you choose to be around.” I think this goes hand-in-hand with what I mentioned above; I’ve been happily exercising my right to have executive order over who I spend my time with, and I think we could all be a bit more choosy with who we let be closest to us.
The people I will meet; there is a quote I read probably 10 years ago that pops in my mind periodically: “They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for.” (I know that some people believe you shouldn’t let anything external affect your happiness, but for me, that’s more of a definition of joy.) To me, this quote is a reminder that – while we shouldn’t spend all our time there – it’s important to have thoughts of the future. On a personal note, I’ve had many difficult moments in relationships that have made me feel jaded, discouraged, and uninterested in placing any real value on future relationships, but I know that some amazing people are awaiting me – and they can be my ‘something to hope for’ during more frustrating moments.
Your turn! Who are three people you want to express gratitude to today?
Enjoy your Wednesday, everyone!
Photos by Nevena of Marigold Studio
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