In my recovery community, we place a strong emphasis on feeling grateful.  In fact, I feel as if a majority of the meetings throughout November are primarily about gratitude.  Today I felt a little blah.  Thinking about a few painful memories and needed a boost.  Thought back to my early recovery days when it was strongly suggested to create a daily gratitude list.  It will always brighten my day and outlook on life.

Mirriam-Webster Full Definition of gratitude: the state of being grateful 

Let me count the ways:

1. Lowery’s Meat Market – to have the opportunities to purchase enough meat to fill our freezer.  In 2000, I would visit the food bank and rely on food stamps while living in a sober living home.
2. Gainfully employed – the opportunity to work for an agency that’s sole purpose is to keep kids safe.
3. Sober 21 years – to remember how sobriety felt impossible while living inside a bottle.  Two weeks felt like a long time, in the beginning.
4. Husband beat cancer seven times!
5. Great relationships with my parents – didn’t talk with my mom for 4 years (in sobriety) and disowned by my father.  My dad is my best friend.  Someone who I can talk to about most things.  Mom and I spend time together and laugh.
6. Two amazing dogs, Roscoe and Bella.
7. Husband who loves me.  Together for 18 years.
8. Finally understand PTSD and sought help in facing my military journey.
9. Graduate school.
10. My homegroup members
11. Comfortable home with zero mortgage.
12. Paid off 1/3 of the loan for my vehicle.
13. True friends I can lean on when times are tough.
14. God’s grace – to see and experience his will in my life
15. Phone calls with my dad
16. Paying off bills
17. Self-care opportunities
18. Norwegian crime series
19. Virtual meetings
20. Learning my limits
21. Military benefits
22. Generator set up in case power outage
23. Therapy
24. Mindfulness
25. Popcorn, especially the Chicago style kind!
26. Snowplow services
27. FB social media groups allows for me to read so many positive messages from people in recovery or seeking community support
28. Snow pants
29. Running water – use to hear someone say she was grateful for a toilet that flushes every time she sat in a gratitude meeting
30. At one point, I was not allowed home.  Today is different and I attribute this to living a 12-step way of life and faith in God.

“The man without any shoes cried until he met a man without any feet.” 

Now, I am feeling better.  Spent too much time reflecting on negative stuff, today.  Have a great week!

“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around” – anonymous

Best,

Nicole