The 2018 Annual Attitude of Gratitude: Bloggers Flood The Internet With Happiness & Positivity!

I am doing my friend Dawn’s New Years gratitude exercise this year! Please do it with me! Go check out her blog post explaining how it’s done.

Basically, I set a timer for 15 minutes and wrote down everything I could think of that made me happy and/or that I am grateful for. I like the list I came up with! Enjoy.

1. My husband
2. my children
3. their silliness and laughter
4. a warm bed
5. my health
6. anti-anxiety medication
7. my naturopath
8. therapy
9. warm, sunny weather
10. the ability to travel
11. coffee
12. my mom’s homemade fudge
13. a full night’s sleep
14. captivating, original movies
15. books that inspire me
16. michelle obama
17. ellen degeneres
18. making plants grow
19. music that makes me want to sing and dance
20. snow
21. my son going to preschool
22. babysitters
23. grandparents
24. my MOMS Club friends!
25. my home
26. a satisfying home-cooked meal
27. feeling safe, secure, supported
28. having events on the calendar to look forward to
29. baking for my kids
30. receiving artwork from my kids
31. hearing my kids spontaneously say “I love you”
32. seeing my kids play together
33. knowing that my husband has my back, no matter what
34. a well organized playroom, kitchen, closet…..okay household
35. breakfast food
36. being in nature
37. writing blog posts
38. being able to talk to friends who are far away like no time has passed
39. social media…for mini-breaks during the day and a way to feel connected to others
40. my new harry potter slippers
41. my new hot/cold neck wrap
42. the absence of migraines
43. high-quality hand cream
44. this chapstick that tastes and smells like vanilla
45. fun earrings!
46. any day I have the time and energy to do my hair/makeup/jewelry
47. finding myself after slowly emerging from the baby stage of parenting
48. watching my kids grow and change
49. the time and space to exercise my creativity and be in flow
50. looking forward to my youngest entering preschool when I’ll gain more crucial time to myself
51. aaaaaand my 15 minutes is up!

 

I was thinking the other day, and I want to say that 2018 is the first year that’s felt better for me than the previous year since…2012. Seriously, I’ve had a very tumultuous life the last 6 years. A whole lot of excitement, change, stress, challenges, anxiety…sleep deprivation. I’m tired, but I’m hopeful. I hope 2019 is even better. If I have anything to say about it, it will be.

Happy New Year, everyone! I’m thankful for everyone who reads this.

Cheers!

Melissa

 

Advertisement

When Worlds Collide

Something exciting happened, you guys.  And it was something I’ve never done before.

At long last, I was finally able to meet a fellow blogger in the real world!

Thank you so much, Dawn from Tales From The Motherland, for driving all the way to my home to meet me and my baby boy!!

Meeting someone in person whose writing I’ve consumed for quite some time is a very odd, exciting experience.  There was this collision of worlds as I tried to piece together Dawn’s voice and mannerisms with her presence on the page.  There was a mixture of intimacy and understanding along with this semi-awkward (for me) getting-to-know-you-phase.

It’s hard for me to meet new people, and that’s why blogging is extra special to me.  Through my blog, I get to “meet” people and delve into meaningful conversations right away; I get to skip the meaningless (for me), anxiety-ridden chit-chat and get right to the point.  Plus, there’s the added bonus of being able to take extra time and compose and edit exactly what I want to say.

Finally meeting Dawn in person was pretty awesome.  Because we dig each others’ writing, we already knew each other on a deeper level, and getting to see each other face-to-face added another layer to our relationship.

Dawn and I talked about a bunch of things in our too short visit (which means we’ll have to do this again sometime): blogging, family, living in the Pacific Northwest, raising kids, blogging, both of us being mental health providers at times in our lives, blogging.  I got to pick Dawn’s brain about moving forward with blogging (however that may look for me) and about her recent success on The Huffington Post (go read one of my favorites here!), which is much deserved.

At one point, Dawn commented (and I’m paraphrasing) on how we all present a certain self in our blogging, and that she appreciates it when that self lines up with the self we present in person.  I’m glad that she thought that my writing matches how I present myself in person – I really appreciate that feedback.  It also got me thinking about how rapidly my self is evolving, especially since becoming a mom, and how that is reflected in my writing.  Basically, my visit with Dawn gave me the kind of feedback I’d never had before, and really got me thinking about my writing and inspired me to keep on working at it, even if it’s only in 20 minute increments while my little man sleeps.

Dylan’s still not sure about our redheaded visitor…

So thanks again, Dawn!  I’m so glad we finally got to meet and I am happy to call you a friend – both online and in person.  If y’all haven’t read her stuff yet, I highly recommend you check her out.  You won’t regret it.

(Here’s Dawn’s post on our meeting, in case you missed it.)