Thank You Notes

Guys. It's been a minute. This summer has been a bit of an internal rollercoaster for me. This last year has been one of healing, one that I am so grateful for, but lately I've felt in a bit of a rut. In the spring I felt like I was doing great, feeling great, and life was just so great! When I've reflected on that, I can't help but think of how being overwhelmingly GRATEFUL played a role in that.

I mean, don't get me wrong, sometimes life is just hard. We go through phases where it doesn't seem to matter what we are doing it just feels kind of rough. But if I've learned anything this year it's this: gratitude will always bring joy... even in the midst of hard times.

No, it's not a solve-all, but I'm telling you, it does something! And there are always so many things to be grateful for. But rather than sit here and try to collect my thoughts in a way to tell you how or why gratitude is such a blessing, I thought I'd do something a little different and tell you what I am grateful for by writing a little thank you note. So here goes...

Thank you to my two little boys, for being as cute as ever and being my forever buddies. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn and to grow as a mother; to learn to forget myself as I nurture and care for you. For being so patient with me and the challenging life circumstances you face. Thank you for being so constantly happy and friendly with everyone; you are brave and you are strong. Thank you to my parents who are my biggest supporters. For providing my boys and I a wonderful place to live. Thank you for playing games and reading to my boys, for wrestling with them, and playing a special role in their lives at this time. Thank you to my siblings and other family members for being my best friends and caring about me and my family. Thank you to my "younger self", for staying close to the Lord and always striving to do the best and what's right. For enduring and conquering extremely difficult times. Thank you to my sleep disorder, as much as I get annoyed with, came at a time that actually preserved me. Thank you to my anxiety and depression for continually humbling me and giving me the ability and the empathy to connect and understand others on a deeper level. Thank you to my Savior, who alone has carried me through my difficult times and provided miracles along the way and every day of my life, because life is a miracle. Thank you for my blessings, my trials, my weaknesses, my strengths, and making me stronger than I ever thought possible.

You know, I've had this post in my mind for like over two months now. But now that I've actually sat down and written it, it feels SO good. Like SO SO SO good. Thinking about all those things, even the hard things, fills me with so much gratitude and joy. What a sweet reminder of the joys and blessings ahead. I know that even though this point in time has felt like a bit of a rough patch, and there is still more growing and healing to do, I will look back at this time too and feel grateful.

Gratitude brings hope. It's the light at the end of the tunnel when sometimes it seems like there is none. My future feels unknown... I couldn't even begin to try to comprehend what it will bring, but I know that somewhere in that future, whatever it is, there is a version of me on the other end who is so grateful for what I'm feeling right now as I walk through the unknown. When you're feeling down or like you're in a bit of a rut, try writing your own thank you note, there is so much peace, hope, and perspective that it can bring.