My yoga teacher always says that gratitude is the vehicle needed to drive more happiness into your life. And I think he’s right because if I’m being honest with you this year I haven’t been very happy and I haven’t been very grateful, either. There was a time when I wrote gratitude lists every night before bed, but that’s a practice I abandoned months ago. Now here I am writing a gratitude list because it’s Thanksgiving Day and as a blogger, a post about the things I’m grateful for seems required.
Sure, there are some things I’m always thankful for — neighborhood walks with my husband, the strength to run, dance, and do yoga despite my connective tissue disease, girls night with the few friends in my life who love me for who I am and not what I do.
But lately, I’ve been in a foul mood because this year has been a bit disappointing. I am not where I had hoped to be by the end of 2017 and I’m frustrated. Tuesday morning I had a chat with my business coach about these feelings, these feelings that I know come from falling into the trap of comparison. After reminding me that these feelings are normal, she urged me to make a list of all the things I have accomplished this year.
If you’ve been feeling disappointed or discouraged, I encourage you to make a list of your own. Instead of beating yourself up about all the things you haven’t accomplished this year, celebrate all the things that you have.
Here are 7 accomplishments and opportunities I’m grateful for right now:
The Write Life included See Jane Write on its 2017 list of 100 Best Websites for Writers. I am grateful for the women of my community who took the time to nominate me. (You can nominate me for the 2018 list here.)
This year I took my first solo writing retreat, or “writecation,” and I am so grateful to Hotel Finial for allowing me to spend two nights in one of their gorgeous suites FOR FREE!
This year I hosted my first virtual summit. I am grateful for the women who volunteered to speak and the women who watched each session.
This year I helped two of my VIP coaching clients launch their blogs; I helped one write and self-publish a book; I helped another get her work published on one of her favorite websites. I am so grateful for these women trusting me with their dreams.
This year I did a number of speaking engagements, including speaking at WordCamp Birmingham for the first time and speaking at the National Federation of Press Women conference, which led to a new coaching client.
I finished the first draft of my book and I am so grateful for the beta readers and editors who are helping me shape my manuscript into something I can be proud of.
Strangely enough, after getting some perspective I find myself grateful for all the goals I didn’t accomplish this year because I know they will just give me the fire I need to slay 2018.
What are you grateful for today?