Today is the perfect day to count my blessings! Every day is a great day, but sometimes I forget or am in a hurry. This year I pledge to make time for this import exercise in my overall mental health.
Wanna join me? Grab a piece of paper and start—don’t get too “wordy” or specific, just let it flow. You don’t have to share your list with anyone (least of all me), but keep it handy for the days you feel like you have nothing to be thankful for. Have fun! 
- Thank you to Almighty God, from whom all my blessings flow: who loves me unconditionally, whether I deserve it or not.
- Thank you to my wonderful husband, who loves me and makes me do things I don’t want to do but afterward I’m glad I did. He is also the creator of the “You cook, I wash the dishes” law.
- Thank you to my beloved children, who love me and want to come visit me as often as they are able (which is never often enough, but I appreciate the thought, anyway).
- Thank you to my precious grandbabies, human and furry, that love me and make me smile just by thinking about them! You contribute to my happiness and well-being in more ways than you can imagine.
- Thank You to my Spiritual mentor, who practices what she teaches (“trust and obey”), who at ninety years old is the kind of lady I want to be when I grow up.
- Thank you to my dear friends that accept “most” of my quirks, faults and inconsistencies, and love me in spite of them.
- Thank you to my wonderful colleagues and readers that give me far more credit and support than I deserve.
- Thank you to my acquaintances that enjoy my company and still want to get to know me better!
- Thank you to the cashier at the local grocery store that sells my favorite coffee and creamer that gets my “motor” started every morning (trust me, you might want to thank them yourself if you are ever in the area).
- Thank you to my clients and casual “questioners” that trust and expect only the best from me. I pledge to do just that each time.
- Thank you to my Red Hat group that meets every Thursday for breakfast or lunch. You get me out of bed and make me glad (most of the time) to be over fifty years old!
- Thank you to my doctors, dentists and pharmacists that do their very best to “cure what ails” me and keep me healthy (until I receive the bills, and then have a heart-attack!)
- Thank you to the neighbor’s son who releases us from our snowy prison every year with his snow blower when he comes to clean off the sidewalks for his parents.
- Thank you to the local computer guy and internet providers that keep my computer up and running, and know how to fix the problems when it isn’t.
- Thank you to Janus Friis (Denmark) and Niklas Zennstom (Sweden) that invented “Skype”, that allows me to say “thank you” to love ones, face to face, regardless of where I am in the world.
- Thank you to the Ethiopian legend that gives credit to a goat-herder named Kaldi who discovered coffee. I love you, Man!
- Thank you to Willis Carrier, the person that invented air conditioning in 1902, that keeps me cool (like duh, you know, like really cool) every summer!
- Thank you to Irving Naxon who invented the “Naxon Beanery” in 1971 which, these days is the “Crockpot”. I couldn’t live without my six crockpots, ask anybody.
- Thank you to Asa Candler, the co-owner of Coca-Cola, who in 1887 invented the all the marketing coupons we clip. Although I don’t drink coke (or any soda), I appreciate coupons to stretch my retirement budget. Every little bit helps.
- Thank you to everyone who has saved my sanity, saved my life and saved me from myself on occasion— too many to name individually, but you know who you are!
Like I said, just let your mind go. My mind takes off and obviously enjoys the vacation… even threatens never to return! Keep it light and upbeat. It really works, I’m telling you! Sounds a bit too “Pollyannaish” for you?
Sure, there are days when the bad things pile up faster than the good. Who doesn’t have those days? I’m not talking about clinical depression that requires a therapist or medication to manage. I’m referring to the typical, garden-variety doldrums that makes us feel sorry for ourselves and unhappy with our circumstances. I make lists to remind myself of how vulnerable I am to those negative influences, and how blessed my life is with wonderful people who love me and take care of me. (I think I really do love that goat-herder coffee guy!)
Each day I stumble out of bed and make a conscious decision to be positive, happier than the day before, more forgiving and compassionate to everyone I meet (including myself). I pray for help in this attempt, asking my God (and my colleagues) for a little more patience and a lot more time in the day to carry out everything on my plate. Some days I am successful, some not so much. Tomorrow is another opportunity to get it “just right”.
However, when I do succumb to the “woe is me” syndrome, its’ time for a good mental health scrubbing! I go for a walk, or just share time and conversation with a trusted friend which helps to put my life back into perspective. If that doesn’t work, I head to the Woman’s Shelter or local Hospice, Ronald McDonald House or the neighborhood food kitchen for a day of service. That never fails to snap me out of my dark funk and “pity-party-for-one”!
My life may be far from “perfect” but I’ll have you know, bits and pieces of it are truly spectacular!