- Counting Our Blessings
- 4 mins
One of the most difficult parts of this crisis is the uncertainty. There are so many variables that are unknown. But, as of yesterday, we at least know this: We will all be sheltering in place for another month.
Before the announcement, I gathered this would be the case, as I am sure you did too. Every medical expert out there has been telling us all along there is not yet an end in sight. So, although it wasn’t a shock, what did surprise me was how down it made me feel. I’m not sure if it was the realization that my Mom and boys really won’t be able to come visit us for Easter or if was just the thought of not much to look forward to for quite sometime. Whatever the exact thought was, it sent me into a tail spin that felt dark and glum. I’m noticing my mood, which is typically pretty upbeat and relatively consistent, seems all over the board recently and I’m hearing the same experience from many others. I spent most of the afternoon allowing myself to stay in that blah feeling, which of course, led to more down feelings. Darin and I did what many Americans did last night……..we started the new season of Ozark and went to bed.
The interesting part happened this morning. I woke up really early, before my alarm even went off. In the pitch dark, the very first thought that came to me was:
You. Have. So. Much. To. Be. Grateful. For.
It was as clear as if someone were speaking it to me….and I instantly knew I had some work to do. Not physical work, but mental and spiritual work to get myself in the right perspective. Writing can be a powerful outlet. Putting my thoughts on “paper” (digital really, but you know what I mean!) helps them to become real and much easier for me to sort through. So I got up and started a list of all the good that has come out of this not-so-good situation. Once I started, the thoughts just poured out onto my keyboard. All the way from gratitude for not only get to continue leading my WW Workshops, but now, because we are virtual, getting connect and reconnect with people from all over the country that I have missed dearly, to a strong since of gratitude for the good health of my family, regardless of the miles of distance between us. There were 32 items listed in between when I stopped!! And I could have kept going but I had to get ready for work!!!
Today is a good day. Not because something happened to make it good but because I DECIDED TO SEE THE GOOD. We truly don’t have to wait for someone else or something else to make us feel better. No matter what the situation, LOVE is present, we just have to look for it. As I think about the millions of people who are staying home, just like I am, it fills my heart. We are not just staying home because we don’t want to get sick. We are staying home because we care enough about others that we don’t want to make them sick either. What a HUGE act of LOVE and SELFLESSNESS going on all around us. So beautiful really, isn’t it?
The point of my post today is this: If you are feeling like your emotions are all over the board, you’re not alone. We are not alone. As a matter of fact, I feel like we, as Americans, are more together, more united in many ways, than we have been in a long time. We are not powerless. We each have the power to shift our thoughts from heavy, dark ones to ones that feel good. The best way I can find to exercise my power is to step into gratitude, no matter how challenging it seems at first. As I typed the first couple of things I was grateful for, they were mainly words on the screen…but as I continued the list, those words became feelings welled up inside me and they literally changed my entire perspective. It was as if a spot light was shone in the dark and I could see brightly how blessed I am and it felt good. We are all blessed and we can all feel good. Getting to a place of Love in our thoughts is not just about us. We can do for our communities and those around us. When we feel good, we want to share it. Our thoughts become open to how we can help. We don’t shrink and hide or get caught up in all the negativity that isn’t productive. Taking the steps to put ourselves in a place where we can feel divine Love and express it gives meaning to our day and our joy can’t help but spill over into the lives of those around us.
I have an ask of you……In this post, I’d love to create a huge list of “good things” we are all experiencing !!! If you could list one good thing of your own (or as many as you like!) in a comment below, it will be so fun for all of us to read each other’s. And as new readers join the site, it will be an inspiration to them! I wonder how many blessings we could collectively list?? Please help! You can’t use the excuse of having no time…
All is well❤️
Love,
Terra
Terra Ayres,
Wellness Coach
