Happy Wednesday, friends! I’m back for round two of my gratitude worksheet. Enjoy!
11) The best song I heard today was nothing? Eeks! I don’t really listen to music! I listened to podcasts while I was getting ready for work, an audiobook while I was driving, and more podcasts while I was working. Yesterday, though, I did turn on my Christmas playlist on Spotify and one of my favorite songs came on first: O Come, O Come Emmanuel. Ugh, I love that song. So pretty!
12) When I look inside my closet, I’m grateful for the clothes that remind me of people and places and events. The rain jacket that reminds me of my trip to Ireland. The red dress that reminds me of my friend’s baby shower. The bookish tee that reminds me of my friend every time I wear it since she bought it for me. Clothes can evoke so many memories, and I’m grateful for all of them.
13) I’m lucky that I’m smart enough to figure out how to write just about anything. I have to write a lot of different things for my day job and there are many times when the topic is something I know nothing about, like bioengineering or roof insulation. But I love it. I love learning about something totally new and trying to figure out how to take my research and turn it into a concise article. And I love that I can be counted on at my job to write out-of-the-box content, stuff that might not fit into our normal constraints and needs a more creative hand.
14) In this moment, the things I love most about my friends are their kindness, silliness, and love. I adore my friends so very much, mostly because they just let me be me. It took me a long time to accept myself for who I am and an even longer time to find friends who did the same. But they’re my people and I love them so!
15) I’m grateful that my hands can hold my sweet little kitties and my fur-brother, Chip. Pets are such a blessing, aren’t they? My kitties are just so much fun and make me laugh all the time. They also make me feel super-duper loved, especially how they are constantly pawing at me for attention. Chip also makes me feel so loved in the way he always greets me – his whole body trembling with excitement. It’s the sweetest thing.
16) The prettiest thing I saw today was the beautiful view of Tampa Bay! The weather has been GLORIOUS lately (today was a high of 71!) and I went on a beautiful, sunshine-y bike ride with two coworkers during my lunch break. (We have one of those bike-share locations in our parking garage where we can rent bikes for free.) The views were gorgeous – we rode along the water for much of our journey – and the weather was amazing. It definitely gave me the energy boost I needed!
17) When I look into the mirror, I’m grateful for the girl who looks back at me. I’m grateful that, most days, I don’t cringe at the girl who looks back at me because I wish she was skinnier or prettier. I’m grateful that I’ve grown to appreciate my body and what it does for me, and genuinely like the girl that stares back at me. She’s pretty great, you know?!
18) Three of my most prized possessions are Eloise, Lila, and my bed? Ha. The kitties are definitely my top favorites and they bring such immense joy to my life, as I’ve already mentioned. And my bed is something I greatly love and appreciate. It’s comfy and cozy and warm and so nice to sink into at the end of the day.
19) I’m grateful my eyes let me see all the nature I want! Is there anything more beautiful and awe-inspiring and healing than being surrounded by nature? For me, there is not. Whenever I’m feeling low, I know getting outside and being in nature helps me so much. I’m so grateful there are so many beautiful nature trails near me where I can do just that!
20) The things I would never change about myself include my sense of humor, my empathy, and my introversion. All three of these things are a huge part of what makes me me and I wouldn’t change them for anything.
I posted my answers to this round today, too! I love reading posts like this as you learn a little something about people. I am so glad you’ve come to a place where you love who you are. I think that greater self-acceptance is one of the best gifts of your 30s. That came to me in my 30s as well. I was so critical of myself in my 20s which is very sad. I would never talk to a friend the way I talked to myself when I was younger. I’m so glad I’ve moved past that stage!!
Yay for nice weather!! 71 sounds so lovely. It’s actually been nicer here lately but by nicer I mean 35-40 which would be incredibly cold for you! But we had days where the high was like 18 and it was below 0 with the windchill. So after several days of that, 35 feels pretty darn nice!
Mike & I were talking the other day about, like, what life is like for people without pets. How do you come home to NOTHING SOFT? My sweet kitties are so, so good for my mental health.
Let’s just say, it’s a sad existence. 🙁
Ha, I cannot tell you how many times I’ve said to Steven “I love our bed.” Hee hee. One of my prized possessions too!
Tell me more about roofing insulation. I am assuming you are talking about what goes under the sheeting, like in an attic for a home? That is an amazing skill, to be able to write about anything!
It does not surprise me at all that you are often called upon for the more creative out-of-the-box writing at work because you are such a good writer!! I’m also glad you’ve come to a place where you can look in the mirror and love what you say. Releasing all of those societal expectations for our bodies is so darn tough.
I love how much you’ve become a cat person. <3