everyone and their dog is doing a grateful project. it’s november. it’s the month where gratitude is celebrated. duh. it’s not rocket science. gratitude sits on a pedestal during the month of november. this both excites and saddens me. excites me because i. love. gratitude. period. need a pick-me-up? think about your blessings. count them. dwell on them. sink into them. and before you know it, up-up-and-away! it saddens me because gratitude should be celebrated all. year. long. can i get an amen? gratitude should be something that is practiced year round, and i try really, really hard to, i do.

so this year, i’ve decided to change things up a bit and put a little spin on my grateful project. i’m going to be grateful for things that irk me. things i’m not normally grateful for. things that rub me the wrong way, bother me or otherwise bug the crap {pardon my french} out of me; in the hopes that by focusing on the things i am normally ungrateful for that my perspective will shift, and i will be able to eek out the gratitude little by little until i realize, i really realize, how truly, truly blessed i really am. wait for it :

i am going to be grateful for the things i’m usually ungrateful for.

thus, the ungrateful-grateful project.

wanna know why i’m doing this? i’m doing this because it’s easy to be grateful for obvious reasons like family and friends and food and a roof over our heads. and i’m not discounting others who are expressing their gratitude for these very reasons {gratitude in any way, shape or form is wonderful!} nor am i discounting the fact that i am grateful for them as well, it’s just that…it’s too easy and i like a challenge. so i’m challenging myself {and you, if you’re willing…} to dig deep within and search for a deeper, more mature form of gratitude. gratitude that truly finds appreciation and blessings where topically there is not. i’ll do a few a week, so as not to bombard you 🙂 so some weeks may have more than others!

not following me? you’ll get the picture after the first day…let’s roll!

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ungrateful-grateful project * week 1

1 : laundry

i hate laundry. end of story. i don’t like it. i suck at it {ask lover}. it sits in the washer for days if i’m not careful. me + laundry = no bueno. guess what? you guessed it…i’m GRATEFUL for laundry. perspective shift : laundry means we have clothes to wash, which means we have clothes to wear, which means my kids are warm and comfy, have a way of expressing themselves each day through what they wear, have the option of playing in the mud and then retiring into clean, soft jammie pants. yes, laundry is an unforeseen blessing, but a blessing to be sure!

2 : exercise

i actually love exercise. at least i think i do, until i’m actually doing it, and suddenly, through the sweat and the labored {huh, huhhhh, huh} breathing, i find myself wondering what in the world possessed me to do this to myself?? i could be playing cars with the boys right now or giggling with sweet pea or talking to lover; and NOT participating in self-induced torture…but exercise, you make me cash in on coveted *me* time. you make me a healthier, more positive, version of myself than i would be without you…so yes, exercise for you i am grateful, even if you do make me work hard, sweat, and feel like a wienie! ha!

would love to know what you’re ungratefully-grateful for! dig deep and share!

hugs!