I'm going to be honest. I've been really battling my mental health lately. I've struggled with depression my entire life, and for the last several weeks things have been abnormally tough. Zach is always quick to remind me that I keep looking at my cup as half empty. He's right. Logically, I know I have very little to get depressed about. That doesn't stop the voices in my head from disagreeing regularly.
One of my triggers has been the aftermath of the recent storms that brought a lot of damage to my surrounding community in BC's Fraser Valley. On Thursday, I went to pick up my kids from school as usual but decided to stop by the nearby lake to take in the view. There's still plenty of damage to the waterfront and the docks from the storms but crews have been working hard to repair everything for weeks. But at that moment, something occurred to me as I stood near the water's edge.
Even in the wreckage, I could still see the beauty that surrounded me.
It's not always easy to shift that perspective. But for that moment anyway, my cup was at least half full.
There are so many things we take for granted, don't appreciate, and even let drag us down on a daily basis. That's ok. But when a moment allows you to truly appreciate where you are and all you have, savor it. Especially if you struggle to find those moments more than most. It's that gratitude that can help shift your life from one of always wanting something more, to truly understanding how lucky you are to have all you do.
What are you grateful for today? Share it with us in our Fit Mess Community Group on Facebook. This month we're challenging you to share 1 gratitude each day. Expressing gratitude is a scientifically-backed way of improving happiness even if only a little bit. And every bit counts!
