I was feeling a bit down today, actually quite feeling depressed and anxious! Of course this is because I am worrying about my money and my financial situation(s)!
I'm currently reading a book called "Simple Abundance" (and I will write more specifically about this book later) and it is basically about living a simple and abundant life, getting in touch with one's authentic self and the book also provides various words of wisdom.
This book has provided some helpful insight to me and I thoroughly look forward to reading the entire book! It has a lot to say about worrying. Worrying robs us of time better well spent appreciating all that we do have. Instead of focusing on what we are lacking we should focus on the abundance in our life and I was thinking about that as I was eating dinner and reading the book at the same time. I was enjoying a very comforting meal and sipping on hot chocolate on a day when the weather is cold and rainy outside. The book reminds us to enjoy the simple pleasures of our lives and for me one of the things that I truly enjoy is having a nice, hot cup of hot chocolate on a cold day! I was reminded to be grateful to be able to have a supply of hot chocolate that I could enjoy today!
When coming online an article appeared in my email box and it was an article about gratitude and it seemed as if that "spoke" to me as I was searching for an answer to my feelings of depression and anxiety. The article reminds us to be grateful for what we do have and that "spoke" to me that it was time to make another gratitude list. So here is my gratitude list for today:
- I am grateful that I have hot chocolate to drink on this chilly day (plus I have a supply of tea that I can have as an alternative). I am very grateful for this because there have been times when I have been out of both!
- I am grateful to be in a warm house with heat! I have to remember that there are those who are much worse off than me! (I was reminded of this when I was listening to one of my local radio talk shows when the host said this very thing - in that he felt that he was doing good because there were so many people who were more worse off than him) I thoroughly believe that this was a sign answering my query as to what to do - and the answer was to be grateful for what it is I DO have!
- I am grateful to be able to be online. My Internet access has just been paid for the month so I have another blissful month of Internet access!
- I think that one of the things that I am most grateful for is myself! I don't know how to explain it exactly but in general I'm in a pretty good mood! I haven't strayed to the point of morally corrupting myself and I try to remain positive and optimistic. I'm also "keeping the faith!
I have my mission statement that I remind myself of when I'm at a crossroads and don't know which way to turn!
So I do have a lot to be grateful for!
As a sidenote I should mention that the current book I'm reading suggests that you start writing down 5 things that you are grateful for every night before you go to bed and that is something that I have begun to do. So besides my online gratitude list, I have also started writing down at least 5 things I am grateful for every night before I go to bed. It is suggested that one do this for at least 21 days and I am on Day 4.
I should also note that instead of having a separate journal for this I have added this to my own personal Book Of Shadows in the diary / journal part of my own Book Of Shadows.
So if you're feeling down and / or depressed, write down 5 things that you are grateful for. That should lift your spirits immensely!
