Good Morning!

Back in August, I decided I would challenge myself to everyday start out being more grateful…yes, this was when Oprah was still on her daily show, before the OWN network was all fired up. Anyway, back in August, I had a birthday and I said I was going to post every morning the first thing each day I thought of that I am grateful for. I wanted to make sure I was not taking anything for granted.

I can not tell you the impact this exercise has made on my life and I think on many lives of my friends and family. Some mornings I wake up and I think of something or someone who has impacted my life and I thank them. Some mornings, it is something trivial, like whoever thought up that green stick thing that goes in the coffee lid, to keep the coffee from splashing in the car.

I noticed many people post things on Facebook about politics, pop culture or their current rant and it was beginning to feel so negative to see what my pals were up to. Once I started to post what I was grateful about, I started noticing small things in my daily routine that I was grateful for. Odd things, started noticing the little things, like when the trash guys did a deep cleaning of the roads around where I walk to daily. I noticed when the guy at Walgreen’s got a great new haircut and when one of my neighbors got a new suit and how sharp he looked one morning heading to work. I noticed when people went above and beyond what they promised or when people do nice things for others, like open doors or pick up something for someone else.

Being grateful has made me slow down and celebrate little joyous moments. It started like a snowball and grown like it is rolling downhill. I have been touched when others have mentioned how much the look forward to what I post every morning and then they mention something they are grateful for. Recently, a friend from Texas said, I can tell you are on the West Coast because your posting is later in the morning! When I was back in Indianapolis, everyone commented when my posting happened about 3 AM west coast time.

I am grateful for a happy, healthy life, a wonderful (dysfunctional) family, supportive and loving cast of friends and others who I cheer on each day in their personal journey. I hope this week, maybe not just Thursday, you will take a minute and write down something you are thankful for and share it with someone. It has changed the dynamic of my entire life.

I will chat about wine again tomorrow, I just felt the need to share how much being grateful has opened my mind to the concept of gratitude.

Much LOVE with deep gratitude, and of course much wine!

Tammi