Embracing Gratitude in Harsh Times. Not Always Easy. Always Important.
2020 was a hard year. The start of 2021 and the foreseeable future is going to have a lot of hard moments too. It makes it easy to miss the things that we are lucky to have or are grateful for.
In a work exercise in our first staff meeting of 2021, folks skipped the regular routine and started the new year by going over things we are grateful for. It was a nice thing. It didn’t add to the bottom line productivity of anyone on staff, but it was a bright spot and I enjoyed taking part.
And after it was done, I started thinking about more that I am grateful for. And that I continue to try to be thankful.
On my desk, there’s a notebook that I use every day to keep track of to-do’s and tasks and big events and what have you. And inside the front cover, when I started using this notebook in August 2020, I wrote, “Be Grateful. Be Kind.”
And in the notebook before (started on January 1, 2019) that I wrote “Be Thankful.”
It’s a reminder. And I’m glad that I’m into my third year of having it with me every day.
I know that it’s not always easy to focus on the upside when the downside is staring you in the face. It’s not always easy to take stock of the good when the bad is overwhelming.
All I can hope is that I’m able to keep doing my best. And that you are too. ❤
An Incomplete List Of Things I’m Grateful For
+ The health of our family at home
+ The science and health care available to my family and loved ones and those in Canada that need it.
+ The ability to work while Ontario is in a COVID-19 Pandemic shutdown that doesn’t allow for Jess to be at work.
+ The ability to do work that I enjoy and am good at as my career.
+ Enough money to pay for our necessities and for simple luxuries.
+ That I am in a home with my small family as we all try to stay safe and healthy during this pandemic.
+ That Ollie has wonderful grandparents and great-grandparents in his life. And that they are in my life too.
+ That my kid is kind and shows empathy towards characters on TV and in movies when they are sad or hurt – and that I believe that will translate to real people in his life as he grows up.
+ Distractions and entertainment in the form of pro wrestling, sports, TV, movies, digital content, music, and more.
+ The creativity of other people to produce the things I love.
+ Family and friends to check in on and who check in on us.
+ Photos and memories and stories that have and will continue to outlive the moments and people they represent.
+ Love.
+ Art.
+ Coffee.
+ Whiskey.
+ Clementines in November, December, and January.
+ Winter. And the promise of spring when it ends.
+ My personal safety as I live my day-to-day life.
+ Having creative outlets and enough energy and enthusiasm to explore them.
+ Lighting a candle or having Jess light a candle and just being able to enjoy it safely.
+ Having laundry machines in our condo after not having had that luxury for a lot of years when I lived alone.
+ Smart plugs and timers.
+ Smart speakers and information and games.
+ The simple things that make me smile like my kid counting or singing or my partner being cute or hearing from my mom or a joke in a podcast.
+ Cereal as an evening or late-night snack
This list goes on and on and I could and will continue to come up with more things to add to the list. But for now, it’s a start. A list I’m grateful to have thought to write down.
