I just shared a positive NIP story, & it has emboldened me to share something else positive that I have been considering for a year. I have not done it yet for a couple of reasons. First, most of what I share here and on my blog is about breastfeeding advocacy. Its evolved over time, but every time I branch out I feel a little nervous that what Im sharing is something people wont be receptive to, or thats incongruous with what I started. Second, what Im going to share is very personal, in a way, & it makes me feel strangely vulnerable, even when I share it on my personal profile with just friends. So what is it? A list of things I am grateful for. Every day (or at least thats the goal), I express gratitude. Because what you appreciate appreciates. Where you put your energy - youll get more of that. I have had chronic depression my whole life. It come & goes. Sometimes its a big deal, but mostly its just been... normal. When I had my negative NIP incident over two years ago, and the stakes of getting AISD to adopt a law-abiding NIP policy felt so high, and then the stakes of working on breastfeeding legislation felt even higher - then, oh my word, did the anxiety kick in. Id been anxious before, to be sure, but not so chronically as I was just depressed. The anxiety that started the day I was told to go to a private room sometimes made it hard just to function. I dont even have words to describe its intensity. Over the past year, my depression and especially my anxiety have dissipated. I dont think Ill never be depressed or anxious again, but Im amazed at how much happier & calmer I am. And Im certain that focusing on the positive, on the things Im thankful for, has made all the difference in the world. Youve heard it before, maybe. Expressing gratitude is a key to happiness. I had. For years - but I didnt do it. Then I joined Carrie Contey, PhD.s Evolve group, & made it a habit. Its had such an impact that Ive thought about doing it here, because Id like to share this tool with others, because it is a game changer. So Ill go first, & if you feel moved to do so, comment with your gratitudes below - or do it on your private page or in a journal or even just close your eyes for a moment & list them to yourself. There are no rules to this #gratitudechallenge. You arent limited to just the month of November or a list of 5 things per day for 5 days. Just think of at least one thing - or maybe 100 - & take a moment to appreciate! One thought - this isnt about bragging & being Facebook Fake. I complain about my kids on fb, I whine about my messy house. My *real* life is definitely on my personal profile. But this is about focusing on the awesome, so yes, its all good stuff. Here goes: Im thankful to Jessie Warren for letting me share her positive NIP story, & for the amazing gentleman who was encouraging to her. Im thankful my sick husband is starting to feel better; thankful my big kid has had a breakthrough about how he wants to interact with his family, & hes working hard to be respectful & to stay calm when hes frustrated; thankful for watching Bellybean put train tracks together - hes amazing! So grateful for the opportunity to homeschool Sweet Pea for kindergarten, & for doing so with a friend on Mondays & Wednesdays. Super thankful for an impromptu science experiment during todays co-op, which made me feel like Im getting it right! Grateful for watching Sweet Pea learn to read, & be fascinated by addition & subtraction & counting, & that hes learning so much even when I dont feel like Im doing 15% of what I want to do for him. Thankful I said yes when Sweet Pea wanted to do Legos together, instead of telling him I had to make dinner. It was worth bedtime being a little later than intended. Thankful our garage is finally organized enough to feel like a playroom, that art is coming in for the breastfeeding art exhibit in February, that well have a House resolution marking the 20th anniversary of Health & Safety Code 165. Thankful for Health & Safety Code 165, even if it does need strengthening. For representatives and senators who stand behind moms ready to support their choice to breastfeed. That Im warm in my (mostly) clean house on this cold night, & that tomorrow Ill get to take my middle son to a fun acting class & my big kid to a great new school that is a much better fit for him than public school was this year. Im thankful to be leading such a blessed life! I dont know how long Ill keep this up. I dont know why it feels vulnerable. So let me know if its something you enjoy - something that moves you to express gratitude yourself. Because if it is, itll be worth it to me to keep going with it here each evening. It really has been a game changer for me - I hope it will be or you, too! :)
Posted on: Tue, 27 Jan 2015 04:01:09 +0000
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