i’ve been doing a lot of searching and processing.
i’ve found some things that i had done for class and they speak volumes on the things in my life that are oh so good.
we were tasked with doing an assignment on gratitude right before the Thanksgiving holiday — it addressed 5 parts to reflect on:
What is gratitude?
My body / Myself
Family
Educational Growth
I’ve acknowledged that I’m grateful, now what?
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Below, you will find the thoughts and musings from November 19th Jo
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When I think of gratitude, I think of my home. In our home, we made practicing gratitude a daily habit and a thoughtful reminder. A couple of years ago, my Mom hung a paper on the side of our fridge, with ‘Gratitude’ written in the center. Anyone who came to our house had the opportunity to write what they were grateful for, whether that be the local Chinese place knowing our order over the phone, chiropractor appointments with people who we claim as family, or for spending time together. It was all on that sheet – the good, the bad, and the honest. It was something that our family really took to heart and now, that sheet is framed, hanging in our home. It is a cool opportunity to look back on that time and get a brief glimpse of where everyone was at, for the handwriting never lies. We have since started another sheet, which reads, #blessed , and although that may sound condescending or sarcastic, it’s a true reflection of the blessings that we feel are pouring into and out of our lives, with a flair of Stefl humor.
Following in this theme, especially during the holiday season, I am glad that we have this opportunity to dive deep into the various aspects of our life that we are grateful for. I don’t think that people take full advantage of counting the things in life that are going well or that they are grateful for. For in a world full of negative things in the media, this is a great outlet to share some light.
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I am grateful for who I am and where I’ve been. I am extremely fortunate that my body and health are in a place where I don’t have to worry about day to day activities. Plenty of others have different restrictions put onto their lives that limit how they live. I don’t have any allergies, which allows me to live without fearing if someone may bring something that if inhaled, I will die or become very sick. My sister has Celiac disease, which takes a certain amount of monitoring and lots of questions when she isn’t the one preparing the food. I have the luxury of not needing to put in that extra effort. Although I have had a broken bone, my body is strong, healthy, and is able to fight off most of what I start to come down with. It is capable of running, dancing, breathing with ease, and getting me from place to place without difficulty. I am fortunate for all of that. My brain is quick – I pick up new tasks and instructions with ease, I can think critically, analyze situations, and process solutions. I can read and comprehend more eloquently than most, and I am able to focus without much trouble. I have always loved learning, so going through school, that was an absolute bonus. I am fortunate with my personality – a bubbly, smiley, outgoing and introspective gal. My personality has allowed me to foster connections with strangers, learn more about cultures that are far different than my own, and cultivate friendships that span the country and the globe. I derive so much meaning from the interactions that I have with strangers and with friends, and I know that my personality is a beneficial factor in that influence.
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I am fortunate for my upbringing, as my parents empowered me to be an independent, strong – willed woman, who was capable of all things. My parents were always pointed in their discipline and their rules, and for most of the time that I grew up, I wasn’t grateful that our home was structured. As I have gotten older, I realize that everything that they had done, was out of love. They taught me to accomplish tasks, pursue goals, and to take care and respect not only items, but people and time. My parents were never my best friend. They set boundaries so that we could operate in a healthy manner. Now, it is neat to see the transition where they have started to step back and allow me to continue making my own decisions. Of course, not without some opinions thrown in for good measure. They are the rocks that built the foundation on which my character lies. I am forever grateful for all that they have shown me and for the guidance that they have and will continue to provide me as I keep transitioning into different chapters of my life. My sister is also a huge part of my life – we share so much, but also differ in so many ways. She brings a fresh perspective and honest assessment of my life with her own dose of humor and care. She’s extremely talented in what she loves – photography and video – and uses those skills to capture wonderful moments. I love being able to hop in the car with her, turn up the music and just drive – maybe with a plan in place, but mostly to enjoy the ride and capture the memories.
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My educational path has been mostly a straight shot, with its own set of ups and downs throughout. I was always good at school – it came with an ease that most would long for and I loved the experience of learning. Throughout my early education, I read like a fanatic, but at a level that never matched my age. When I was in second grade, my comprehension was that of a high school senior and I could never find something that could challenge me without bringing up topics that I was too young to have exposure to. My entire education has been set in the tone of lacking the intellectual challenge that my brain craves. They always used to say, well, ‘Middle school, that will be hard.’ Middle school was hard because of the awkwardness that surrounds middle school – it was never the material or course load that bogged me down. Going from middle school, they said that High school would be hard. And high school brought its own difficulties with friendships and playing a sport for the school, navigating the college process, but the coursework still wasn’t difficult. I spent my whole educational career getting straight A’s without having to put copious amounts of effort in. I did work for my grades, but not nearly as hard as others had to. And with the end of high school, everyone I knew said that college would be hard, but that it would be the best years of my life. I hope and pray that these past four years aren’t the best that my life ever gets – they’ve been great, but they can’t be the peak of my life. Is college hard? I mean, kind of. Like with every other stage, the hardest things to learn have been achieved outside of the classroom. Learning to live with other people, and stick up for your values, balancing a job and a full course load, etc…those aren’t things that they teach you in a class. So, for the past four years, college has been time – consuming, but not super challenging. My brain yearns for the things that can’t be explained and for the interactions that provide insight into the person that shares. This path has helped shape me as I am. The places and people that you encounter undoubtedly influence the person that you become, and I think that the past 16 years of my academic career are helping to set me up for the next step, whatever that may be. It instilled a love of learning that will never go away and a sense of wonder at all that this world and its occupants can offer. But in April, I will be excited to be done with that thing that we call homework. I mean, all good things must come to an end, right? 😉
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I love that you mentioned a gratitude journal, as that is a method of sharing my gratitude that I already incorporate into my life. My sophomore year of high school, I was diagnosed with depression, and besides going onto an anti-depressant, writing every single day in my journal was a way that helped me crawl out of the hole that my mind had subjected itself to. I challenged myself to write down something everyday that went well or that I was grateful for. Now, I still try to reflect on the good and I have so many journals chock full of my processing. I use my Instagram as a journal of sorts, choosing the photos and using the caption to express my feelings. I post on my blog, getting real and vulnerable with the things that are on my heart. I think that reflecting on gratitude is so important, because it can remind you that no matter where you have been or what you are going through, there is something to be grateful for. It is the shift between the victim and the victor mindset. It is a healthy place to be.
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My gratitude still looks a lot like this, but has it’s own flavoring of post November 19th feels.
January Jo is still grateful. 🙂