Gratitude

This time of year is ceremonious for giving thanks. Last week's holiday reminded me of a simple virtue we all need to consistently hold more sacred in life.

Gratitude.

Life is hectic. We all have obligations...a mortgage, rent, bills, and the list goes on. We have drama. (Yes, you know, drama with a capital D.) Our relationships are broken and feelings get hurt. We live in times of unprecedented change and disruption. We live wondering sometimes how we might make it through the day, week or month.

Do me a favor. When you think your life is full of chaos, stop and ask yourself one question.

What do I have?

I found myself in this spot a few weeks ago. It seemed like my world might be coming to an end. You know the drill. You're full of stress and your energy level is just coasting on fumes. Something or someone has gotten inside your head and you can't seem to shake it.

(It's okay, you're normal. Keep reading.)

Nothing was going right for me. I was going right, and others were going left. My whole routine was completely off. I'd get up at 2am and pace my house nervously with that awful feeling in my stomach thinking...'Why me? Why now?' And then it came to me.

The key to peace in life is having gratitude. Gratitude puts my mind at ease. It's that voice that reminds me I'm going to be okay because it asks...

What do you have and isn't that good enough?

This year I was saddled with a reoccurrence of cancer. It came at a time when it seemed like my life was just all over the place. I was leaving a decorated opportunity, a choice I had made a while back. I was meandering. Do I stay corporate-comfy or fly to the moon and start a new venture? Everything was changing! My friendships, my marriage, motherhood, and my fitness routine...everything I had known was all in a state of flux. It felt a little chaotic.

And as I sat at the Thanksgiving table last week, all I could think about was gratitude.

Gratitude for overcoming my illness again and emerging strong.
Gratitude for being given the chance to breathe, daily. (When you think about it, it's something we all take for granted.)
Gratitude for finding my passion to start a new venture and having the balls to go for it, albeit the haters, critics, and pundits.
Gratitude for having my one and only daughter, Ally who just brings so much joy to my world.
Gratitude for my marriage and motherhood, no matter how messy it's been and will get.
Gratitude for real friendship, because you find out who your real friends are when life changes.
And yes, even gratitude for those things that were broken this year.

When's the last time you asked yourself...