‘I can’t promise I’ll be perfect, though boy will I be grateful’
I’m always saying to myself I’ll write a gratitude list. Tonight, tomorrow, at the weekend. 2021 passed. A whirlwind of heartbreak and opportunity, progress and failures, good days, bad weeks… You know the drill. Not one gratitude list was written.
2022 I will be my usual chaotic self. Having regular melt downs, moments of genius and drinking way too much coffee. I can’t promise I will be perfect, though boy will I be grateful. And so here is my first gratitude list of the year, seems I had a lot of catching up to do.
- Family & loved ones
In the moments we take our foot of the pedal, family is everything. During my twenties I pedalled way too hard, don’t we all? Racing to the top of wherever we think we are going is part of life we all endure. Until we realise the finish line is eternal, and whatever we think is waiting for us there is nowhere near as precious as what we have right in front of our noses. Next to us on the sofa, at the end of a phone. When you lose a loved one, your heart breaks in ways you never comprehend is possible. If there in one thing we all wish for when we no longer have the choice, it’s more time with family. Mine are amazing, this year I will cherish them not just on birthdays and holidays. I will keep them in my heart every day.
Make the most of the people you love, if you’re to be grateful for one thing this year, let them be it.
- Creativity
Every day is a fresh page. Nothing reminds me of this more than writing. Every day I show up at my computer with a different perspective, inspired and changed by yesterday. No matter what’s going on out there, creativity is a place to play. To release, to do my thing. Every year I grow more grateful for that space and all the joy it brings. When life gets crazy, worries consume our nights and the world start to spin, we all need an escape to disconnect from the madness.
Whatever yours may be, cherish it. Put it on every gratitude list, even if you only do one a year.
- The Moon & Stars
What do you see when you look at the moon changing shapes in the sky? I see magic. A world so much bigger than little old me. The mystical is a gift for the soul, come it says…. And dance with the stars. My Mum always told me to wish on the brightest star in the sky. Every night before bed, I look up out my window to try and find it. I’ve made many wishes for friends, for strangers. For myself. Some come true in a heartbeat and others take their time. Though, what I am most grateful for is the courage to believe.
We all have the power to manifest miracles, and stars remind us there is always something worth reaching for.
- Kindness
This morning a smile from a lovely chap at Waitrose turned my day around. It was tipping it down. I was tired and dreading the walk home. Kindness comes in all shapes and sizes. Whether it’s a friend calling to say “how are you” or a stranger holding the bus, it warms the world up. I am so grateful for all the kindness I’ve seen, felt, and inspired. We all carry around our worries, fighting battles no-one can see, a few drops of kindness can sure help take the weight off.
Be kind whenever you get the chance, it will make you feel good and some lucky soul incredibly grateful.
- Hope
Matt Haig’s repeated one line through-out his wonderful Comfort Book; ‘Nothing is stronger than a small hope that doesn’t give up’. That fire of hope has kept me going through the best and worst of times. It tells me that no matter what happens, everything is going to be ok. That your dreams have a shot at coming true, everything is happening for a reason and someone up there is looking after you. Life is unpredictable. Sometimes we lose, sometimes we win, sometimes we hurt. Though whatever we face, keep Matt’s words in your heart. Nothing is stronger than a small hope that doesn’t give up, and that small hope is something to be all kinds of grateful for.
I have no idea what this year holds, though here’s to hoping it’s a bloody good one.
#2022 #gratitude
