grateful full
ˈgrÄ tfÉ™l/
adjective.
1. feel or show appreciation for kindness; grateful.

Sometimes life sucks (seriously). Sometimes the grass is NOT greener on the other side. Sometimes it’s hard to be grateful in a horrible situation. Well I’m here to say:

Chin up buttercup.

it gets better

It’s easy to ask, “Why me?” and I wonder what you did wrong to have to go through such a horrible circumstance. The focus during these times, instead of looking around you at the various problems you have in life, is to look within yourself. When life is chaotic and storms are brewing, go to your secret place. Wherever that place is or whoever it is. Go there. Focus on that. Do that. Try to have an attitude of gratitude. Be grateful for the things and people you have instead of the ones you don’t have. I like to keep a gratitude journal to keep me on track (try it, you might like it). It’s about perspective. I just write 3 things I’m thankful for every day. It can be anything (literally). Example: Today I am grateful for the vision to read, the money for my chai latte, and the friends who make me laugh out loud.

Remember, you are not alone. I guarantee that someone, whether you know them or not, has been through a similar situation, if not the same. Seek advice from family and friends. Do things and spend time with people that make you happy. Think about the things or people that stress you out. Maybe you can spend less time with those people. Maybe you don’t have to deal with those things as much as you thought. Our reaction to people and circumstances in life is a direct reflection of who we are. This also applies to the way we treat people. Your heart and your mind are like a house. They have many rooms everywhere. Some are clean and decorated, ready for people to visit and spend time. Other rooms are closed because we don’t even want to go in to see all the crap we’ve accumulated. Find those rooms. Look into finding the keys to open those doors and start cleaning the house. Begin to renew yourself from the inside out and I guarantee you will begin to see life with new eyes. You will become proactive instead of reactive. You will realize that you are stronger than you think. You will gain confidence and know that tomorrow is another day, a new beginning.

“For every minute you are angry, you lose sixty seconds of happiness.” • Ralph Waldo Emerson

Would you rather have more time for happiness or anger?

“People are as happy as they make up their minds to be.” • Abraham Lincoln

Choose to be happy regardless of your circumstances.

“The most important thing is to enjoy your life, to be happy, that’s all that matters.” •Audrey Hepburn

Focus on the good instead of the bad.