BUT STILL … I AM GRATEFUL

??I don’t care how strong, healthy, happy, successful, or supported you are … life will throw you curve balls. And that’s okay. And that’s normal. And it’s not always your fault. And it’s not always something you can easily fix if only you would X, Y, or Z. I haven’t been feeling well for a while -it started with a staph infection that wouldn’t go away. Things currently aren’t getting better and it’s affecting my whole life. But still … I am grateful.

I’m grateful for the hard times I’ve overcome in the past. I now have the confidence I’ll get through this too.
I’m grateful for learning to be flexible. I can now adjust my life to best take care of me.
I’m grateful for the diverse amount of people I’ve met. They’ve taught me important lessons -both what to avoid and how to move forward.
I’m grateful for recovery. You can’t get healthy if you’re actively harming your body and mind.
I’m grateful for my friends, family and the kindness of strangers. It only takes one smile to brighten your day.
I’m grateful for balance. Some days the best I can do is rest.
I’m grateful for once hating every part of myself. Through my journey of healing I can now cheer for myself, instead of against myself.

There isn’t always a reason why. Perhaps searching obsessively for the answer defeats progression. You have to stay present and not think of every creative “what if” scenario that has a 99.9% chance of not happening. You have to celebrate the big picture. Celebrate yourself. Fiercely understand that your existence is the only prerequisite for being good enough.

You don’t have to smile. You don’t have to pretend. Life sucks at times and can change in an instant. Despite this -don’t let your situation saturate into every cell of your being. Don’t lose sight of what you have overcome, what periods of joy shine in each day, and what memorable moments are still awaiting you. The most powerful medicine available can defeat the darkest of times -that is hope. And hope is a free gift we all hold inside.

All is not well right now. But it will be … because always I am grateful. ~Britt?