Be Thankful
Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire,
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don’t know something
For it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations
Because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge
Because it will build your strength and character.
Be thankful for your mistakes
They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you’re tired and weary
Because it means you’ve made a difference.
It is easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are
also thankful for the setbacks.
Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles
and they can become your blessings.
~ Author Unknown
What are you thankful for at the moment?
There’s this great a quote by William A. Ward that says “God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds a day, have you used one to say ‘Thank you?”
Regardless of what your version of God is (or isn’t), this message is such a goodie. It’s so easy to waste half an hour bitching and whingeing, but we often forget to take 2 minutes, or 5 minutes out to get high on the positives.
Glaringly obvious or simple and subtle – it doesn’t matter. What does matter is recognising them as contributing to your joy.
Here are the things that made me stupidly happy this week. Manifesting magic daily!
1. My first published interview for In Spaces Between!
Can I get a woot-woot! I’ve already posted the link so I won’t go on about it again but I’m truly grateful to Nikki from bellaMUMMA for putting my mug up on her site, along with my bestest beauty tips. I hope this is the start of many, many more opportunities like this. Universe, I am ready!
2. Baking
I went a bit baking mad on the weekend and whipped up the beetroot relish from my Bohemian Dreams dinner post (FYI, if you want to make it into more of a dip than a relish, blend with Philadelphia cream cheese). Sooo tasty! I also made a batch of sugar-free oat cookies and a baked egg for breakfast – and although it doesn’t really count in the baking stakes, it’s worth mentioning that I had my first ‘green smoothie’ evah (banana, passionfruit, pear, water, ice and a big handful of spinach) on the weekend and it kinda rocked my pants off. Massive energy hit!
Sidenote: In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m all about food at the moment. It happens like this, I get all into cooking and then… I move onto something else to be really into for a while. Like fashion. I just roll with it. Exhilaration galore over here lovers, hold on tight!
3. Documentaries
Confession: I love docos. History, biographies, nature, travel, world issues… you name it, I’ll check it out. So I was thrilled to discover Top Documentary Films, and spent my Sunday afternoon watching Afghan Heroin: The Lost War (mega depressing, not for the faint-hearted), Exploring Einstein and The Death of Yugoslavia. Enthralling stuff. Can’t wait to check out a few more when I get a chance, the Bermuda Triangle vid sounds epic.
4. Rain and lunch breaks
I’m someone who says ‘HOW AMAZING IS THIS DAY?!’ a lot when the weather is nice. Bad weather brings me down. More specifically, grey skies bring me down. Cold weather is cool (haha, KA-ching!) as long as I’m rugged up and the sky is blue, but dreary, overcast skies make me feel slighty ‘off.’ Usually. Which is why I was surprised this week to find that a few days of rainy weather actually brought with it a big helping of happiness. What a little trickster my mind is!
On Sunday, that meant being able to embrace a day of blogging, reading in bed, documentary watching and cooking – without feeling that guilty tug that I should be outside soaking up the sunshine or doing ‘stuff.’
On Monday, it meant making a beeline to the beach (in my car) on my lunch break, winding my windows down half way for a bit of fresh air, reading my beautiful new Food, Fashion and Friends book and scrawling notes in my Moleskine. Rainy days = rampant reflection.
5. Finishing books
Books deserve a post of their own – and they shall get one soon – but as a headstart on that post, I can wholeheartedly recommend The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown (amazing) and Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg (also amazing). Finally finished them both on the weekend which was a relief because having them sitting on my bedside table three-quarters finished was starting to get to me.
When I say get to me, I’m referrring to the fact that unfinished things and loose ends irk me. With books, I always feel like I have to ‘conquer’ them quickly so that I can get onto the next one – almost as if I want the information and words of wisdom inserted into my brain as quickly as possible.
Okay, I’m going to stop now. I’m starting to sound like a weirdo. {:O
6. Dinner with my bro, rediscovering UNO
I was home alone on Saturday night as Ramai was at a bucks party, so my brother and I decided to go out and grab a bite to eat at a cool restaurant run by some friends of ours called Black Coffee Lyrics. The place is rad, with mismatched retro furniture, awesome art adorning the walls, books everywhere, great music and best of all – boardgames and stacks of UNO all over the place to entertain the patrons.
We couldn’t remember how to play so, of course, I did what any normal person would do and consulted my Twitter friends (thanks Emma, Jasmine and Liss for your input!)
Random but fun little night. And by the way, I won. 3 times. Yep.
7. YOU!
Hola to all my new readers, bonjour to all the lovelies that send me sweet emails each week, and konnichiwa to all of you that join the conversation here or on Facebook and Twitter. I’ve cyber-met so many cool ladies of late and you’re all lighting me up so much with your collective fire. Keep glowing girls – and keep those emails and chats coming, I treasure those moments in my day more than you can imagine!
+ Doneski’s! You know what I’m going to ask, don’t you? I’m keen to know: what are you thankful for? Make today the day you take a few minutes (out of the 86,400 seconds in your day) to send a big bubble of gratitude out into the ether, starting… NOW!
Image: 1. Poster Lottie Loves 2. Kiss
3 things I’m loving:
1. This post – as each week It reminds me to stop & reminisce about what has made my happy over the last week!
2. Your recommendation to the tastiest blog around – How Sweet it is! Addicted to this blog (2nd to ISB of course) & Jess’s amazing recipes! I made the fontina portobello pizza last night & it was ah-mazing!!!
3. this delish home grown passionfruit (1 of soo many this season) I’m slurping up as I write this. YUM YUM SCRUM! Not bad, considering this plant just popped up in the front garden magically!
Thanks lovely!
Ok, I’m sitting here at my computer drooling, which is bad for two reasons… 1. the keyboard is getting wet 2. I’m eating lunch, so really shouldn’t be hungry (or typing, haha!)… That pizza looks DIVINE. I’m sure it was the bomb! Looks like one of those ones that would taste amazing the next day too…
Thanks so much for dropping by and leaving your list, such a nice feeling to write it down don’t you think? I seriously hang out to pull this post together each week! xx
A day late, but better late than never as they say :)
I agree with Sara, this post is a lovely little reminder to stop and take count of the blessings, Love it!
My Happy Thoughts this week are a little unusual & by no mean profound but I’m lovin’ them nonetheless!
Public Transport!! Never thought I see the day when I would be willing to admit to this. I left the car at home this week in favour of being a bit more enviromentally friendly & boy am I glad. I saved a BOMB on fuel costs – which is going into my Autumn fashion fund! – and I got an extra ‘chill-out’ hour a day, just sitting back & taking the city in.
Dancing!! The kind of dancing that you do in the confines of your own home, when you think your an absolute champion busting a few moves. And I’m LOVIN’ this song, I guarantee it will have you tapping your feet or shaking your booty! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsN3rqGytMw
Themed nights & recipe searches!
The month of September is usually a quiet month socially, so to vamp things up every Saturday we’re taking it in turns to cook & host an evening in my parents. A little Come Dine With Me, but with some va va voooooommmmm! A little jackpot of 40euro is up for grabs. Guidelines are you must cook a 3 course meal for 4-5 people and ingredients must not cost more than 20euro! I can’t wait to get started, so thanks so much for all the food blogs Rach, I’ve already got a heads start :)
Have a golden weekend,
Best wishes, Jenn xo
Jenn your comments are the best! Thanks so much for always taking the time to leave such interesting and fun comments, love this insight into your life!
Big YAY for the fashion fund and for having that chill time, so nice to have that before and after work. Your dinner idea sounds beyond awesome, you should snap some photos for the In Spaces Between facebook (or let us know what you cook), would love to see! Have yourself a beautiful lil weekend xxx