What does Gratitude look like?

Jones-ing for some music...

Sangria + Handsome Mathematician = Date Night

I dream of travel.

Afternoon in Lome.

 

Sun setting in Vieux Montreal

Road trip to Shiner, TX

An artist date to Path of Tea

A friendly reminder for myself

Mon petit copain

Je t'aime mon Dior scarf.

Carving out some time for creativity and Mod Podge (best invention ever!)

Being a planner of events

Stations

Reflection

I don't have a lot of female mentors. It's tough sometimes finding women I can look up to... I often just have to remember what my mother taught me or just simply be inspired by cool women like Oprah and Gala Darling. Winfrey and Darling both advocate the use of a gratitude journal. I used to think they were cheesy and lame. I envisioned desperate women in chenille bathrobes sipping chamomile tea with flowery journals.... Yeah.... I had no idea.


I thought wrong.  A while back, I got really sick. I got so sick it affected many aspects of my life.  I just couldn't understand why I was so unhappy and miserable when I thought I was making the right choices. I didn't know how to face the anxious and often traumatizing and depressing thoughts I faced. I had to face many truths and re-learn what happiness, joy, and hope were....

I advocate gratitude now. Taking the time to think about the blessings and the beauty in your life is a nice thing - at least for myself. It's the reason why this blog is here. It's about God's limitless grace in my life and in this world. The other reason why this blog is here is because I also know there are people out there who need to be inspired. Perhaps... there is at least one person out there who will actually read this and I hope this blog resonates with that person.

I live in a world that is always on the go, oftentimes very messy and pretty stressful. If I don't even see the good in my life and I am always distracted by other people and other things and another to-do list, how can I truly be happy? If I continued to pursue another goal, another raise, another accolade... what is the point - if I don't reflect on the joy and beauty happening around me?

So... what am I grateful for this year?

The 12 for 2012 

1) being in a place where I can be creative and work for a place that provides art and culture to our community

 2) travel:  in Dec '11, I had the opportunity to visit Lome, Togo. It's a place that is rich in warmth and hospitality. I also enjoyed a couple of trips out to the Bay Area and to Chi Town along with a handful of weekend getaways to the Hill Country.

3) practicing my French - I've returned to classes and I will have the chance to practice my language skills in Canada and France this year.

4) physical pursuits - I love running and I love yoga. It's as simple as that. I completed my 5th half marathon and my 5th triathlon this year.

5) self care and artist's dates: hot baths, painting my nails, time for vacations, roaming and thinking at the Menil Collection and the DeYoung, going to Mass, time for gelato and afternoons at Kuhl Linscomb and Path of Tea

6) creativity:  I continue to work on my writing and my love for decoupage and mixed media. My art is important and I will continue to find ways to work on it.

7) good people: I had to walk away from people who no longer supported me and my dreams in order for me to pursue authentic relationships that were good, supportive and nourishing.

8) Letting go: One of the hardest lessons that I am grateful for is letting go and leaving space. Taking a break and providing myself some slack in order to be rested, restored and renewed.

9) Volunteer work: I love serving others and I am so happy I'm supporting the Houston Area Women's Center.

10) good books: 168 Hours, Water for Elephants, The Artist's Way, The Bible, The Help, Tranquilista

11) having a sense of humor while I'm facing life's challenges

12) reconnecting with my faith