Simply Grateful. Are you?

Lately I have been feeling incredibly grateful for the life I have created.

That does not mean bad things do not happen.

They still do.

I have just been reacting less to them when they happen.

My husband has been curious about why - having always known me as someone who can tend to be on alert for changes.

Why am I suddenly so much more go with the flow?

Life happens, it always has, it always will, it will never stop things from happening. No matter how much I plan, prepare, catastrophize, overthink.

Overall, I am just really grateful for what I have. And that has outweighed the anxiety about the uncertainty.

The unfortunate moments in my life that have occurred: trauma, loss, conflict, unfortunate milestones, grief - they are still there. They just matter less.

I believe life is so much more worth living in spite and despite of all the things that have happened around it.

I believe life is so short, shorter than we all think it is.

I believe happiness is something that matters more than the bad that has occurred.

I believe my kids deserve a life that feels good.

How on earth have I gotten here?

I am always an advocate for therapy. Both based on my 11 years working in this field, seeing the success and progress of people I have cared so much for.

I also have done quite a bit of my own therapy- therapists benefit from therapy, just like everyone else.

I have become more self-aware and reflected on my circumstances.

Etc. Etc. Etc…

A big part of it - I often speak about my opinion on the Five Stages of Grief - specifically the final stage: Acceptance.

I believe, and have found to be true, it’s not necessarily about “acceptance.”

It is more about “Integration.”

I don’t expect myself, or any of you, to accept necessarily what has happened. You can, that is totally valid. It is also okay if you can’t.

Instead, I encourage my clients (and have done the work within myself) to identify a way I can integrate this experience/grief/trauma into my life, in a way that feels like I am recognizing it, while also moving forward.

I simply do not want to be held back any longer from feeling the peace and happiness that I, and everyone else, deserves.

The more we can recognize and reflect our own strengths and weaknesses, remove judgement, and try to “do better” while forgiving ourselves in the process, the smoother this process can go.

The more we can zoom out and recognize what really matters in life to us (and not other people), the more streamlined it can be.

The more we identify our [healthy] goals and begin to make changes that respect those goals, the more momentum we will have to achieve those, or at least move in that direction.

You are worth trying for.

If you have it in you to be a decent person, you literally deserve a shot at trying that.

How long have you been putting yourself off for other people?

Reach out, let’s explore that together.