Thanksgiving 2017 & Gratitude

Normally I write my posts ahead of time, and today would have been the next installment of my Throwback Thursday posts that describe a depressive episode I went through this time last year, along with the ECT treatments I underwent for it. But today I decided to write spontaneously and post it immediately after. So if it’s incoherent, I apologize.

I realize not all of my readers/followers celebrate Thanksgiving, but gratitude is global. Anyone and everyone can be grateful for the things in their lives. Almost every night I post at least 3 things that I’m grateful for in the Daily Gratitude group in my meditation app. Today, I’m going to share with you some of what I’m grateful for today, this week, and in general (though not necessarily in that order).

Today I am grateful for:

• being alive
• my family
• the bounty of food my husband is in the midst of cooking, and that he’s the cook. I can barely boil water.
• having my basic needs met: food, shelter, and clothing.
• running through wet cement the other day in a new pair of boots because the pavement wasn’t marked and I was in a hurry to cross the street. Instead of reacting by running back home, which I normally would have done, I responded by trying to wipe the cement off with dried leaves (it didn’t work lol). I continued walking to physical therapy, where they were able to help me clean my boots, which are the type that aren’t meant to look nice anyway — thankfully. This incident taught me that I don’t have to be in such a hurry all the time and to be more aware of my surroundings.
• my near-daily struggles to get in the shower because if I don’t, I’ve learned not to castigate myself and instead, be proud of all my efforts, however small.
• beginning meditation earlier this year and taking it seriously this time. It has helped me better respond to incidents such as the 2 above, and to forgive, including myself, which provides me with inner peace.
• having bipolar disorder and anxiety, because through meditation, I’m learning self-acceptance, self-love, and self-compassion.
• the mental health community, including you, currently reading this post.

Photo by kevin dooley on Visual Hunt / CC BY