Gratitude

 

At the beginning of this year I was inspired by Andrea to start a daily gratitude practice. I have several gratitude buddies who I share with (nearly) every day. It is such a small simple thing to share three things that I am grateful for each day, but it is so meaningful to recognize and acknowledge these small things. Taking a few minutes to appreciate all the goodness (and even sometimes the hard things) in my life definitely helps me to appreciate everything more.

What are you grateful for today?

What I love right now.

Happy Valentine's Day! I didn't bring you any chocolate or flowers, but I've been inspired by some lovely Valentine's Day blog posts to write a little bit here. Pushing aside the commercial aspect of the holiday, this is a perfect day to pause to appreciate the things in my life that I love and I hope you have a chance to do the same.

I love that the days are getting longer. I notice more daylight in the morning and evening and I can feel a slight shift in the seasons. We have had a few days of thawing here, which brings hope that spring will, eventually, arrive.

I love my sunny bright kitchen. This is one of those small things that helps me notice and appreciate the beauty of every day. Clean dishes gleaming in the rack. A pile of clean folded dish towels. The process of preparing and eating a homemade meal. Small joys.

I love that I have the opportunity to create and explore a new path with my creative work. I have been putting a lot of work into making things for Seedling Design. I am exploring new ideas and learning about everything else that it takes to start a very small business. I am grateful that I have the opportunity to makes things and to explore the possibility of making a living by creating.

I love my family. Though they are far away now, I do greatly appreciate the people who have been around for my whole life and helped me along so much. 

I love having the chance to explore new places. Although it is not always easy to be living in a new city, in a new state where I don't know a lot of people or how to get everywhere, I am glad we have a chance to see what it is like to live somewhere different. I am excited about getting to know this area of the country. I have enjoyed learning about things here and I am looking forward to exploring a lot more.

I love and appreciate my husband immensely. I don't think Valentine's Day has to be all about romance but I have to mention Ray who is simply the best. Even if it wasn't February 14, I would still have to note how grateful I am to have Ray in my life and how amazed I am by our relationship. I couldn't ask for anything better.

What are you loving today?