It’s November and the beginning of the holiday season, which has me thinking about the many blessings I have to be grateful for today.
However, it wasn’t always this way. When I first became a caregiver, my world turned upside down, I was not feeling especially grateful for anything. I was having difficulty adjusting to my new life and frustrated by the multitude of medical and personal limitations. At times it felt as if I was just surviving.
At some point, I realized that something had to change if I wanted to start enjoying my life again. For me, learning to be more grateful was one of the keys that started to turn around my thinking. By practicing being grateful for what I did have, including having my loved ones with me, I began to see my life through different lenses; and consequently, started enjoying it more.
When you’re a discouraged patient or exhausted caregiver, it can be hard to think of anything to be grateful for. When feeling this way, it helped me to keep the list very simple. Sometimes, I reminded myself of how grateful I was to have the basics in life including being able to look at the ocean, a cool night’s breeze or the love of our pets. And I still do!
This month, as we head toward Thanksgiving, I challenge you to pause at least once a week to remember what you’re grateful for. I’d love to hear what it is and welcome you to share it with me.
See if reminding yourself about what you’re grateful for doesn’t put you in a better mood!
Many Blessings,
Kathi Koll
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