Saturday, December 31, 2016

Gratitude 2016

In 2015 created 365 small challenges for myself to complete over the year.  By this time last year I was panicking and frantically trying to complete as many of the "outstanding" challenges as possible.  I was also fretting about how I would find the time to come up with 365 new challenges in such a short time.    That is when inspiration hit and I decided to do a gratitude journal for 2016.  The goal was to find at least one thing that I was grateful for each day and write it down.

I must admit I started strong and often did not have enough space to write about all I was grateful for that day.  As the year progressed my writing got bigger and sometimes there was only one thing I was grateful for each day, but the point is there was always something written.

It seems I picked a good year to start my gratitude practice as a lot has happened over 2016 that has left people hungering for it to be over.

Me?

I am sitting back relaxing, sipping on some hot tea revelling in all the small wonders and magnificent things that have give me hope and helped me stay positive throughout the year.

I will not bore you with all 365 days of gratitude but here is a sampling of some of the unique things that made me grateful this year......

I am grateful for:

  • Blue skies, crisp air, snow covered hills and the sun.... the glorious sun! 
  • Starry nights and dogs that already know how to walk and ones that are finally learning the word heel.
  • Ferg hugs and kisses and great conversations with my siblings.
  • Wonderful and caring co-workers.
  • Matches and windows (one of the dogs left me a pootacular surprise).
  • Whatever caused the Viking kicker to miss his field goal attempt which allowed the Seahawks to continue in their Super Bowl chase.
  • Heated seats and goose down mitts on a cold blustery winter day.
  • Time to tidy and clean the house.
  •  Gravol and Tylenol, without which I would have had a long painful day.  
  • Stolen moments cuddling with the dogs.
  • Stackburger take-out.
  • The restorative powers of lying in bed reading, with the dogs cuddled close.
  • Lazy Sunday mornings spent in PJ's.
  • Fast simple meals..... PANCAKES!
  • Getting to spend one final night with Vivian (cat) and that she crawled under the covers and poked me in the armpit like old times. 
  • Post winter walk hot chocolate.
  • Neo Citran and the bed to myself.
  • Late morning starts and early bedtimes.
  • Family and friends who let me vent and provide encouraging words. 
  • Warm houses on extremely cold days. 
  • Sunbeams, warm blankets and afternoon naps.
  • Sunny driving days that inspire the planning of road trips.
  • Elliot Lake days at work.
  • Days that are done and awaiting beds that heal all wounds.
  • Puppy frolics
  • Jam busters and memories about donut days.
  • Ferg injuring my left not my right hand.
  • Impromptu lighting storms
  • Reuniting a dog with its owner
  • Evenings that remind me how blessed I am.
  • Harry Potter and restorative sleep.
  • Holding my tongue and not telling others to Fuck off.
  • Not breaking any bones when I fell down the stairs. (Sadly there were two of these types of entries in the journal.  One would think I am clumsy). 
  • General slothfulness
  • Camping dreams
  • Chicken jerk tacos at the Fireside in Elliot Lake
  • Sharwarma and visits to MEC
  • Peeps who offer to pick-up the dogs from the kennel, so I don't have to wait another night to see them.
  • My Dad and his vast knowledge
  • The entertainment I have watching the changing light patterns on the back of my eyelids when I close my eyes.
  • Multiple years watching Canada AM.
  • Teenage boys calling my Miss.
  • Rainy days that don't make me feel guilty for being a sloth.
  • Short relaxing moments eating cinnamon buns at the St. Joe's Island rest stop.
  • Being sorted into Ravenclaw on the Pottermore website.
  • Pictures from Norway that allowed me to have mini vacations at work.
  • A fantastic OT team. 
  • Kids that would rather work with me than go on a field trip to see the Firemen.
  • Ice cream celebrations.
  • Surviving the mosquito hoard at the Sleeping Giant
  • Tea and late night chats with Mom.
  • Texting with friends I don't get to see often.
  • Mr C said he wanted to stay with me forever and for Mr. H hugs and kisses.
  • Getting unlost in Minnesota.
  • Mom's saskatoon pie.
  • Being able to retrieve my "bear" hanging rope from the tree when I accidentally threw the whole thing up.  
  • THRIVE day
  • Brisk breezes and meditation in the secret grotto.
  • Epihany's about life.
  • The feeling of ahhhhhhh when I walk into Staples.
  • Deciding to sleep vs Fit Bit.
  • Listening to nephew's laughter on the phone.
  • Stinky moats of lavender and mint that repel things the squeak.
  • Brightening the day of someone who's day had not been spectacular.
  • Ice cream when camping, warm fires and pleasant conversation.
  • Getting to attend friend's weddings.
  • Catching up with high-school friends and the feeling that time had not passed.
  • Ferg hugs while I drift off to sleep.
  • 10 hours of sleep. 
  • Sage advice from the Management team.
  • Books to read while waiting for insomnia to pass.
  • Sometimes mistakenly writing greatful vs grateful and how for the laughs it brings me every time I see the mistake.  
  • All the generous people in my life.
  • Mystery trails that lead to magical spots

Looking back through the journal I would hazard a guess that the things I am most grateful for are: the dogs; my bed and pharmaceuticals (Tylenol, Advil and Neo Citran ) as these were all mentioned multiple times over the year.


Can't wait to see what type of gratitude 2017 will bring with it. 

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