I have found some peace when I am intentional about changing my mindset to focus on gratitude. As Thanksgiving nears and I continue with this busy fall season, a shift to gratitude seems especially important. I will share some of the things on my current list and encourage you to consider your own list. What is saving your life right now?
As we enter another holiday season, I’m reminded of the reality that the anticipation of the celebrations and the initial enthusiasm for the traditions can sometimes be derailed by the nuance and contradictions of the season. Excitement can be deflated by stress and unrealistic expectations. The busyness of the holidays can distract from the joy of the season. While navigating this year’s festivities , I took the opportunity to reflect on a past post, “The Little Things”, and to revisit the question of “What is saving your life right now?”
So now I watch for them, my little unexpected moments of joy where my face hurts from so much smiling and the mess-free glitter flies around me. I no longer take them for granted. The ordinary moment that is filled with joyful power no longer gets left as ordinary, but I capture it in my mind for rainy day remembering.
Happy New Year and cheers to our first Unexpected Ever Afters blog post of 2022! To close out the past year and start anew, we thought we’d do something a little different: a joint post sharing gratitude for 2021, excitement for 2022, and a toast to the New Year. We are excited to share our memories, stories, and hopes with you. We hope you join with your own toast to 2022!
Thankfulness that is punctured by sadness can still have a sense of peace and gratitude woven throughout.
We want to express deep appreciation and gratitude to those who have sacrificed and put themselves at risk in order to ensure the continuation of support and care for all of us throughout this season of COVID.
Every time I hear this question, I think of something that fills my heart with gratitude and supports the shift in my mindset. So, I would like to pose the question to you, “What is saving your life right now?” To start the conversation, I will share some of the things on my list:
Today is Memorial Day. I want to start by saying thank you to all of the people who have served our country, to their families who have sacrificed so much, and to everyone who has lost someone who paid the ultimate price for our freedom. The words “thank you” feel inadequate to express sincere gratitude …
Another round of birthdays is currently in full swing at my house. As I prepared gifts, cakes, and decorations to celebrate my kids’ birthdays and make their days special, I reflected on my own birthday and how the past few have been filled with unexpecteds. I don’t usually make a big deal out of my …
Sometimes I think it is easy to feel disappointed. It can seem as if one bad thing is happening after another, and even the best moments seem to not quite meet expectations. I find that there is an - expectation→ anticipation→ disappointment - loop that occasionally tries to take over, and it can often succeed …
the unexpected ever afters 