Give Thanks for 2020!
Are you kidding me? You want me to give thanks for the biggest CACA-fest of the century? Yes, I do. Because it’s the time of year when we do just that, no matter what, and here’s why.
There’s an old Sheryl Crow lyric that always plays in my head during Thanksgiving, “It’s not having what you want, it’s wanting what you've got.” We are a culture of strivers, even this year. We strive for the newer gadget, the bigger house, the shinier car, the skinnier thighs and the coolest mask. It’s always, “When we get ____, then we’ll be content.” But what about right now? Can we all just take a breath, look around and count our blessings, even if they don’t look like blessings?
When I coach my clients in South Africa, their everyday inconveniences make me take stock of what I’ve got. They softly complain about having to take the containers down the road to fill them for water to cook and bathe with, and I realize how lucky I am to have water at the turn of a faucet. They talk about doing the laundry by hand, and I wince at the fact that I just complained about having to fold my clothes fresh from my dryer. Or for me, when a friend’s baby, who once made mud pies in pigtails, is now going into rehab for a haunting addiction that has swallowed their life, then my complaint about my kids being a little self centered dies on my lips. It puts it all in perspective, doesn’t it?
It’s about wanting, or even noticing, what we’ve got.
So let’s do that, shall we? I know, we’ve done this before; try it again! Take a minute and list 5 things that you have that my clients in their tiny dirt floor houses would be thrilled to have. A car that starts every morning, a refrigerator full of food, a stove to cook upon, a dishwasher that isn’t you. The list goes on and on. Just look around at your life. Really look. And notice all the beauty that resides there. Here’s my list:
1. My house with a view that takes my breath away with each sunrise.
2. My sarcastic, kind, generous, hunky husband who still opens doors for me, does the cooking AND the grocery shopping.
3. My sassy, sarcastic quad of daughters who make me laugh so hard I snort.
4. My goldendoodle, who gives cute a whole new dimension.
5. All the gadgets and machines that wash my dishes, my clothes, dry my hair quickly, carry me to and fro, and allow me to see my wrinkles in 10X magnification!
What’s on your list?
The only way to navigate the stress of the holidays is to put it in perspective. We have so much in this country, not the least of which is each other. If you’re dreading the holidays, try this “wanting what you’ve got” list, AND come to our “Have a Serene Season” FaceTime live on December 13th at 8 p.m. Dr. Jenn Gaddy and I will share tools to stay balanced, with exercises both physical and mental, to keep your days merry and bright.
Most of all, I’m thankful for all of you, my pride of fierce, funny lionesses. Together we ROAR!
XO
Terri
