Finding Gratitude

You all know I've not been completely loving my life lately. OK, mostly I've not been completely loving my job lately, and since I spend quite a lot of my day there, it was feeling like I've been hating my whole life. So I decided to start November by finding something every day to be grateful for. No, it's not a new concept, but it was something I felt I should do. I decided not to post my gratitude thought every day because I'm busy (or lazy), and I knew I just wouldn't get to my computer every day. (By the way, to those of you who did post every day, either on your blog or on Facebook, thank you. I loved reading all of your thoughts.)

Some days were easy, like the day of the fabulous snowstorm when I woke up and the world was covered in a beautiful white blanket, or the day I got my new car, or the day I discovered hot ice cream at the Farr's place across the street from work (oh my gosh, yum!). Most days were harder, especially since I made the rule that I had to find something different every day—I could only use "I get to go to Zumba tonight" once. Of course, there are things I'm always thankful for, like family, friends, faith, health, and indoor plumbing. It was good to remember those things, but it was after I exhausted that list that I really had to think—and that's where the learning started.

I won't go through the whole list (because you'd get bored if you're not already), but I will mention a few things. I'm grateful for the knowledge I've been able to gain throughout my life, for opportunities I have to teach others and to share my love and my passion with them, for newfound self-confidence, for continuing opportunities to challenge myself and push myself to become better, and for the ability to remember the past and to dream of and plan for the future.

So, here's the big question: Did this little experiment make any difference? Do I now love my job and wake up every morning excited to get up and go, knowing I will be challenged and feel valuable and see opportunities to grow and develop and help others? Nope. But I am grateful I have a job with a bit of security where I can use at least some of my skills and work with some wonderful people. And I'm even more grateful that I have a magnificent life outside of work. Yes, I spend a lot of time in that windowless office, but I spend even more time outside of it—living a life that I love with people I love, doing things that I love, contributing to the world, working, growing, and striving to become the best version of myself. So yes, even though there are many things I'd like to change in my life, I'm incredibly grateful for the life I have been blessed with and for the opportunities I have to make the most of it.