10 Things I'm Grateful For

It can be a challenge at times to focus on the good in your life when it seems that everything is falling in around you. I'm in this particular spot right now, what with all the problems I've been having at work and then my job search not going as quickly as expected. Even with me feeling that I'm at my second low point in the past 3 years, I've been trying to focus on listing things that I am grateful, and not focusing on the things that I wish I had, but don't.

I was reading somewhere that the best thing to do is to make a list at the end of the day of 10 good things that happened to you, and/or 10 things you are grateful for. This way, no matter how bad your day was, you will at least end it on a positive note.

Below is my list of thing that I'm grateful for, in no particular order.

1. My life. 
Even though I may think about how I hate my life and it seems like everything is going wrong for me while things seems to magically work out perfectly for everyone else, I wouldn't dream of seriously ending it all because of one bad day, or even a bad year. The thing about being alive is, that each day is different, so you never know when things might turn around, and when you will have the best day of your life!

2. My Cat
It may sound weird to some, but I am very grateful to have my cat. I've had her since I was 6 years old, so she's about 19 years old now. I've known my cat almost as long as I've known most of my family members and I can't imagine not having her. Not only is it comforting to rub her, but when I think about all the tough and uncertain times we've been through together along with my family, and how, against all odds and probability, she's here with me now, it gives me hope for the future, and that things will eventually work out for the better. (ha, I just realized this is a very comma heavy sentence!)

3. Frozen Cappuccino
I LOVE FROZEN CAPPUCCINO! Maybe it's the combination of coldness and the high caffeine content, but whenever I am in a slump at work, I can always rely on a frozen cappuccino to offer that little pick-me-up to get me through the rest of the day.

4. My Job
As much as a whine and complain about it I am grateful to have a job, after all I have bills to pay and things to buy. I'm grateful for the one I currently have because, through my many failings and set-backs, I have actually learned a lot about myself and what supervisors are looking for in an employee. Also, my supervisors, although they are super nit-picky in my opinion, they do continue to keep me working long enough to pay the bills.

5. Clothes
I know this one may sound a little materialistic with all of the other things being family and pets and all of that other warm and fuzzy stuff, but my clothes have a special place in my personality. What I wear is a direct reflection of me and my personal style. My outfits are also a reflection of my mood, and can give me that added boost of confidence to make it through the day. For example, when I know I'm going to have a not so great meeting with the bosses, or when I just have to look my best for an event, I can always rely on a well-planned outfit to give me that extra boost of confidence I need to get me through the day.

6. My Barbie Dolls
I know, I'm 25 already! But my Barbie dolls are a big part of me. Like my cat a few of them have been with me through thick and then, and a lot of not so great periods in my childhood. Growing up poor, it was a big deal for me to get a new doll, so I made sure I took very good care of the ones I had, and still have most of these to this day, some 20 years later! To me, my dolls not only represent my childhood, but they give me a chance to create my own reality, even if it is only for a few moments.

7. Family
We all complain about our family, and we all would much rather be without them, but when everyone else in the world has turned their back on you and thrown you to the wayside, your family is there to take you back in with open arms (well, hopefully this is the case!). My family accept each other no matter what, and whenever, I am down and out and don't want to be bother, someone from my family gives me a call out of the blue, and after everything is said and done, I'm always glad they did!

8. Music
It may sound cheesy, but a lot of songs have helped me get through tough spots in my life. When I was out of full-time work for almost a year and a half, this line in Firework "Maybe a reason why all the doors are closed, So you could open one that leads you to the perfect road" kept my spirits up while I applied for job after job.The saying that music is the language soul is so true. There are so many songs that hit on emotions you feel that you don't even know how to describe!

9. Chocolate
You know how us women are; we gotta have our chocolate! Sure, there's all that stuff about how chocolate mimics certain hormones and all, but it the end it boils down to the fact that it's just so good! And eating something that tastes good makes you feel good! And eating something that isn't the healthiest thing in the world when you're upset makes you feel even better!

10. Prayer
When life has you down and you don't know what to do or how you will make it out, it's good to have a higher power that you can always turn to. As a deeply religious person, praying has allowed me to release all of the fears and doubts that I could never express in words to another person.