An Attitude of Gratitude

Happy Thanksgiving

Today is Thanksgiving, and today, like every other day, I strive to express gratitude in all circumstances (even that of a chronically dysfunctional pancreas).

Gratitude is something accessible to each and every individual, regardless of age or background. It lightens the burden of tough times and overwhelm; it deepens the meaning of every accomplishment and celebration.

My planner has a box called "Thankful Thought" at the beginning of each week, and though I try to remember to actually write something inside, it often just serves as a prompt for me to think about how many things I could list in that box.

On weeks when I actually choose one single thing for the box, I love reading it over again to remind myself of how fortunate I am to have that person/thing in my life. I find it much more helpful to focus on what I do have, versus what I do not.

While this is a highly personal (and for some, private) practice, I love when I can share my appreciation for something or someone I am thankful for with somebody else. It is something special when you are able to share your genuine emotion with somebody about how they or their actions have affected you in such a deeply significant way.

I highly recommend incorporating some sort of acknowledgement/expression of gratitude as part of one's self-care, and advise that families do this together as well. If you are looking for some different ideas on how to go about implementing this in your home for your overall well-being, let me know and we can work on a plan for you.

I couldn't possibly list everything there is to be thankful for today, but I will share a top list and hope that you might follow suit and make a list of your own. Sometimes it isn't until we are able to see in front of us or read out loud what we already know in our heads that we realize how abundantly we have been blessed. Once you get started making a list, it is hard to stop. The gratitude begins to flow and it is becomes difficult to NOT want to share that with people you run across in your day-to-day.

Here is the kick-off to my gratitude list:

I am thankful for my family, who love me and support my dreams unconditionally.

I am thankful for my friends, who bring light and joy into my life.

I am thankful for my mentors and people who challenge me, bringing new perspective to every situation.

I am thankful for the roof over my head, the food on the table, and the insulin in my refrigerator.

I am thankful for my freedom and those who have sworn to protect it.

I am thankful for a healthcare team that listens to me, cares for me, and fights for me, when necessary.

I am thankful for access to medical technology that allows me to live my most healthy life possible with type 1 diabetes.

I am thankful for a community of people who are living with the same challenges that I am (T1D), but have made it their goal to become a group of loving, supportive individuals who make those challenges a little easier and a lot more bearable.