Peace of Mind Organizing

Much to be grateful for

27 November 2015

I love that we have a national holiday devoted to feeling grateful. I’ve found that taking a moment to feel grateful for our many blessings, even in times of adversity, is so beneficial.

I’ll share that this past year has probably been the most difficult year I’ve every had. I lost my mother and my beloved dog, Kirby. One of my brothers had a stroke. I broke my first bone. My father, who was my mother’s caregiver, had bladder cancer and was hospitalized, leaving us scrambling to find care for her. To top it off, a dear friend passed away just two weeks ago.

Despite all that, there is much to be thankful for. And, as I’ve done on some Thanksgivings past I’d like to express my gratitude for many of the great things in my life.

• My dad beat cancer. Shortly after my mother’s passing, my father discovered that three rounds of chemo did the trick and he’s cancer free.

• My mother’s swift and peaceful passing. She lived with Parkinson’s Disease for many years. When she finally became too weak, she didn’t suffer. I am truly grateful for that and for the fact that my brother, Larry, who lives in Australia was able to get to our hometown for her memorial service.

• The pre-planning we’d done for my mother’s passing. Nine years before she passed, my parents and I sat down and had the difficult conversation about their end-of-life wishes. So we knew what she wanted for her memorial service and obituary. That was unbelievably helpful.

• My wonderfully supportive family and friends. We had a lovely Thanksgiving dinner yesterday with our St. Louis friends who have become family. I couldn’t be more grateful for them—and for all my friends.

• The tenth anniversary of my business. I am so lucky to get to make a living by making a difference in people’s lives. My clients rock.

• My team members. The vast majority of my client appointments are spent leading teams of amazing organizers. We can get so much done in a short period of time. And we have lots of fun doing it.

• The new poodle puppy who will be joining our family in just a couple of weeks. I know he’s going to be a lot of work. But he’s going to be so much fun.

• Grilled cheese sandwiches made with mayonnaise. Making a grilled cheese is now so easy and the result so delicious. That’s a life changer.

• Morning smoothies. I still love my NutriBullet with a fiery passion.

From the profound to the trivial, these are the things I’m grateful for this year. I’ve let my daily gratitude list go by the wayside this year and this is a good time to start it back again. A gratitude habit can be a really powerful thing.

Tagged with: gratitude, thanksgiving

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