Gratitude Reflection
I took this photo while out for a walk one day. I think the rainbow amongst the dark clouds is a great symbol for gratitude and optimism amongst the darkness
It was just over a month ago that I wrote about a search for gratitude and optimism (Searching for Optimism and Gratitude). I (re)started a gratitude practice, although I committed do finding gratitude every single day, regardless of circumstances, for the whole month of December. I’ve done the practice in the past, however, when I had a really hard day(s), I tended to drop it. The irony of that, though, is those were the days, I truly needed it. So, every single day in December, I sat down and reflected on the previous 24 hours and chose (at least) three things for which to feel thankful. I committed to do it publicly, and so I did it. Some days were easy, but then there were days where the public accountability part was the only reason I did it.
I remember one particularly hard day; the previous day, I had received a call (literally as I was walking out the door to an appointment with my kids) that my youngest was a close contact of a confirmed positive COVID case, and needed to now stay home and quarantine. It felt like my whole world turned upside down; she needed to isolate in her room and now we had all three children learning at home. We needed to bring her food, do extra cleaning and there was the worry about her mental health. Ironically, that same day, the government announced further strict restrictions that limited all social gatherings (even outside). The next day, searching for gratitude was hard, but I found some:
1. Friends who check in on me
2. We have the space and ability for all three kids to do remote learning
3. I don’t have to make supper
Reflecting back, those are great things for which to show gratitude. We were able to transition her to remote learning; we had space, internet bandwidth and a device (and thankfully she’s somewhat independent). I am incredibly lucky to have amazing friends. They obviously stepped up their game even more to check on me. And apparently, I didn’t need to make supper which is always a good thing!
As the month passed, finding gratitude became easier. I started looking forward to the solitude first thing in the morning (often before anyone else was up) to cuddle under a warm blanket and reflect on positivity. Some days, it flowed and I wrote a lot; other days was a struggle, but I pushed through and came up with at least three. Searching for gratitude helped me notice and note some of the things that might have otherwise quickly passed through my head:
The order form my son made so my daughter could choose what she wanted for lunch (including the main, side, drink and dessert) when she was in isolation
A short line at IKEA
A surprise gift from a friend
A beautiful sunrise as I drove to work
A FaceTime craft session with my niece
My Warm Buddy heat bag
Friends who get me
Watching Schitt’s Creek with the kids
An hour alone with a Chai tea
Watching Blue Bloods and it has nothing to do with COVID
A clean desk
Time to read
None of these were huge things. Taking note of the small things which make me happy was a good exercise.
My thirty day commitment is over, but my gratitude practice has become a habit now, and I feel the difference it makes. Not only because I am searching for positivity, but because I search out some quiet each morning, before everything gets busy, to reflect and start the day remembering things which made me smile. I know the trick will be doing it when I wake up late, or I have a crazy day, or something crappy happens. Remembering the calm and happy feelings which result from this practice, however, is the key to continuing when it’s tough.