Hey There, Well-Beings!
Goodness, it’s really been a while since I posted a Gratitude Review! I certainly haven’t been ungrateful, just using some much needed downtime over the past couple of months to learn how to set better boundaries on my time, take care of my own health and well being, and feel my way through what I want this blog to be. One of the things I enjoyed writing the most each month was the Gratitude Review, because it gave me a moment to pause and look back at the four weeks that had passed and file away a few winning moments so I went into the next month feeling more positive, well adjusted, and happier. I’m really quite thankful that I’ve decided to start that up again, after the long time away.
Last week I took my cameras out of their cases and found my way back to a creative outlet that I fell in love with a few years ago: nature photography. I’d forgotten how liberating it felt to get outside and get behind a camera lens. I appreciate many other forms of creativity, but this one put me in a place to literally stop and smell the roses. I am thankful for the opportunity to slow down, take in every detail, and really savor something that fills my heart and recharges my battery.
I got really sick this past month. It sent me to the doctor a couple of times and had me in bed for four and a half days. I know that sounds like a terrible thing to be thankful for, but it allowed me the opportunity to flex my natural health muscles and use some herbs and oils that I’d have had a much longer recovery time without. Don’t get me wrong! I’m plenty thankful for modern medicine, but I’m especially thankful for all of the resources I’ve had access to over the years and the wonderful teachers I was sent so I could learn an art that literally saved my life once.
Another thankful thing to come out of my sick time this month was that I used the time to get reacquainted with an app that got lost in the shuffle over the past couple of years. My body was resting, but I needed a little help getting my mind to cooperate and follow suit. Insight Timer is a free app that connects you to a community of people who meditate with a massive library of free guided meditations, a nifty timing tool for days when you want to go it alone, and groups with specific interests that match your own. I used it pretty faithfully for a while, but then I started exploring other techniques and during one of those dreaded-data-storage warnings, it ended up getting sacrificed to spare my music and photo editing apps. I’m thankful that I rekindled this relationship. It’s deepening my practice and holding me accountable each day.
I want to hear from you! What made you grateful in the month of May? Did you go anywhere exciting? Did you get an early start on your summer reading list? What’s making you happy these days? Share your comments below and let’s keep the good feelings going.
Wishing You Total Well-Being,
Jennifer
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