On to week 3!
ICYMI:
I'll be writing every single day in November (the month of thankfulness) on different gratitude prompts and updating the blog here weekly. For more information and if you want to join and read the prompts yourself, go visit @positivelypresent on instagram. If you join the challenge, I'd love to see how you explore gratitude in your life as well! Tag me on instagram or facebook when you share!
Gratitude Challenge Day 15: Work
This year has been eye-opening in terms of how I view "work." I've been "working from home" full-time since late 2018. Just before the pandemic started to change things I actually was contemplating finding some kind of part-time work again (as a freelancer, self-employed entrepreneur, this seems to be the norm - going through cycles of do I keep plugging away at the daily and uncertain grind or do I find some supplementary steady and assured income?) Around mid-February, I had decided to seek additional freelancing opportunities instead of regular work for the pursuit of a flexible schedule and the want to travel more. I picked up 2 new long-term opportunities in the first week of March and then, HELLO, pandemic. (So much for more travel...) I'm grateful for what I do and that it has helped me to feel and have some love of comfort over safety during especially the early days of the pandemic when no one wore masks and businesses remained open. Yes, like most, I have had client engagements reduced or cut short due to COVID, but I've also had many opportunities come and go regularly. Entrepreneurship is not he career path for everyone, but it's something that suits me, my values, and my lifestyle well.
Gratitude Challenge Day 16: Laughter
If you can't laugh at yourself, can you laugh at all? I don't like to take life too seriously...
Gratitude Challenge Day 17: Truth
I always seek to be truthful and honest and actively seek out people who can be truthful and honest with me. I've been saying lately that I wish we could be more open and straightforward with each other instead of hiding behind what's "right," "proper," or "more respectful." I feel locked up when I can't be honest with others. Communicating your emotions is important.
Gratitude Challenge Day 18: Art
I think I have a pretty wide net when it comes to what I consider art, so this prompt is a bit troublesome. Seeing all the things (bad choice of word, I know) that people have created during the numerous quarantines and lockdowns and protests and change, I'm really inspired at the breadth and depth of how we can use art as an escape, a tool for communication, a coping strategy, and much much more. The possibilities are endless.
Gratitude Challenge Day 19: Inspiration
As the type of person that is over and over again inspired quite easily, I've always got lists of activities I want to take up. When I was 7 years old, some girls came to my elementary school perform Irish dance. I went home that day and said I wanted lessons. About a week later, I had my first lesson and continued to dance, perform and compete for 8 years. (Sidenote: I am not one iota Irish, pending genetic testing results. The level of dedication is reel. Pun intended.) 2 years later, I saw some violinists and again went home asking for lessons. I was a bit disappointed when I couldn't do 'the real thing' right away (my teacher instructed me to practice my posture by making a toy violin out of a cookie box and a ruler taped together and holding a wooden bowl for a bow - when you 'graduated' to using a real violin, you get to eat the box of cookies). I persisted and still play, albeit occasionally, today. Simply, I find inspiration when I see others' passion for what they're doing. It's contagious!
Gratitude Challenge Day 20: Clothing
I think the last time I bought a new item of clothing was in February. I'm not a fan of shopping online for clothes so that makes sense... I haven't had the desire to go in any stores and spend extra time "shopping around." Plus, I've been the target of much ad campaigning and brand messaging that is convincing me to shop my own closet. For a few years now, I've been only trying to buy clothing with natural fibers so they won't shed micro plastics. With the majority of things in stores being made of synthetics, that criteria makes the shopping experience a bit laborious, un-fun and disenchanting. So in this period of going nowhere but getting dressed, I'm enjoying wearing what's already in my wardrobe, outfit-repeating, taking care of my well-cherished pieces, and figuring out which items I will never wear again.
Gratitude Challenge Day 21: Earth
For all our frustration and troubles. Shut those out for a minute. The planet we live on is pretty miraculous! We have air to breathe, water to drink, soil that supports the growth of food we can eat. When we don't mess with things, the Earth is here to support what we truly need.
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