Last week was a bit challenging. Balancing life isn't always easy, but on top of the usual chaos, a close family member was hospitalized.
Thursday night was a tough night and I needed to do my part to manifest some positive outcomes, but all I could feel was sad and scared. We can only really manifest things in our lives from a place of joy, but that night joy seemed so far from reach.
My son was having trouble sleeping and asked me to lay with him. I lay in his bed, put my hand on his chest and watched his eyes begin to close. Right then I remembered something; the path back to joy is through gratitude.
I was so grateful in that moment for my healthy baby boy, for the safety of our home, for how much he loves his mommy. I had been struggling feeling anything but sadness, but watching my son peacefully fall asleep, sparked gratitude in the midst of my darkness, and I could start to see the way out.
I often hear people say “just think happy thoughts,” but sometimes when you’re in the thick of a tough time – that isn’t so easy. Positivity is very important, but getting there can be tough. That night I lay next to my son as he slept and just marinated in my feelings of gratitude and love, letting them fill me up.
As I felt myself climb the emotional scale from sadness and fear to hope and love, I realized that the trick is not to force happy thoughts about something that’s bumming you out – its to find something else you can truly feel gratitude for and let that guide you to back to joy. From there you can begin to see the negative circumstances with a new perspective.
This week beings the season we simply refer to as ‘the holidays,’ and for many it’s a time of stress and struggle. If you’re feeling low, let gratitude be your guide.
No matter what is going on, you have so much to be grateful for: you have the gift of sight you're using to read this, you have the device you’re receiving this message on, you have the breath moving in and out of your lungs… you are blessed and loved and have so many opportunities for gratitude, so let them light the path to joy.
On a personal note - I am so grateful for you. I thank you for opening these messages every week, and allowing me to share my heart with you. Thank you, I love you.
Wishing you a wonderful week. With love and gratitude, Robin