Happy Thanksgiving!

This year, with all the soul searching I have done, it has made me pause and think. What am I grateful for?

Personally, there is too much in this crazy year. Who knew 2020 would put everything upside down. This was also the year that I found myself spiritually. Now… that journey is still close to my heart and I won’t share it just yet, but it has helped me have a different view on life and the world. Let’s just say it was and still is an amazing journey for me.

 It’s so easy to get caught up in life, never stopping to see all the good around you. For those with mental illness on top of a hectic life, it can be even harder. Reason I always try to find the silver lining in things.  I look back at those dark days and find silver linings to them. It’s hard but helps make that moment not so dark anymore.

What also makes this time of year hard for me sometimes is… it’s also my birthday month. Yes, sometimes my birthday lands on the 4th Thursday of the month and is Thanksgiving. There have also been some emotional linked memories associated with Thanksgiving. While those moments have passed, the switch has been flipped in the brain. For me, once that has been flipped, it takes me several years or longer to get over it to a point it no longer affects me.

So as Thanksgiving and my birthday approach, I am left to ponder what I am thankful for. As well as review my last year. How have I grown as a person? A mother? A writer? What impact did I leave on the world?

 

Here are just a few things on my list this year:

1. I’m grateful for my husband and my two boys. They are my rocks. They can be a handful at times, but I love them, and they keep me steady.

2. I am grateful for the opportunity to publish my first book. A childhood dream coming true in this crazy year.

3. I am grateful for all that I have. A roof over my head, food on the table and everything we need.

4. Though it is hard, and I wish it would go away, I am somehow grateful for my mental illness. It has given me a special view on it and the world. I have always attracted those who need the support and struggle with mental illness. So, through my struggles, I can reach out and support others.

5. I am grateful for my spiritual journey. It has freed me and supported me with my mental illness.

 

Now… take a moment from your busy life and pause. Think of everything that has happened in the last year. Find those silver linings and make your own list of what you are grateful for.

Thank you for reading. Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Stand tall, Stand strong, and LIVE!

-Kya