Sometimes it easy to get overwhelmed by all the things that we don’t have, or all the things that we want or “need”, while forgetting to be grateful for all that we do have. Being stressed and anxious is something that I am quite good at, which is not always a good thing. But today I am feeling very grateful. Our culture of consumerism, “keeping up with the Joneses”, and advertising all encourage the mentality of “needing” things that we don’t actually need, like a fancy new car, a big house, overseas holidays or new season’s clothes. I’m not suggesting that there’s anything wrong with these things, but there is something wrong with focusing on what we don’t have, instead of appreciating what we do have. If we stop listening to the adverts and stop comparing ourselves to other people we can realise all that we do have, which is a much more positive way to be, I think. I am feeling very thankful for all that I have been blessed with. Here are a few things I’m feeling grateful for today:
- Family. Both my family and Matt’s family are wonderful. We love spending time with our families and are grateful for their love, support and friendship. Our families also get along really well with each other and I realise that not everyone is this lucky!
- Gingham. Especially when it’s on sale! The pile of gingham pictured above is for me to sew into some shirts for Matt and I. Don’t worry, we won’t wear them at the same time. Although, a matchy-matchy photo would be kind of fun…
- Paint. We started painting the ceiling in our house over the weekend. We’ve only done a couple of rooms and want to eventually paint the whole house. It will take a long time, but it feels good to be making progress.
- Fresh basil. I am grateful that we have enough room in our backyard to grow a few fresh herbs. Yum!
- My job. I am so grateful to be able to do what I love for a living. It’s very hard sometimes, but it’s worth it and I’m very blessed to have an amazing husband who supports what I do.
- You! It’s lovely getting feedback from people who read my blog and/or buy my patterns. It really encourages me and I truly appreciate it!
- Princess Buttercup. Our dear kitty has the sweetest, funniest personality and she makes us smile everyday.
What are you grateful for?
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Oh, Angela, this post went straight to my heart. When you say: ‘there is something wrong with focusing on what we don’t have’ I am totally with you. This has always been my philosophy, but sometimes I found difficulties in teaching it to my children because of the external ‘bombing’.