Good morning friends! November is here and with it brings the holiday hustle but it can also be a time we sit and reflect on our blessings.
#blessed. You see it all over social media. I know it’s totally cliche but in all honesty it’s such a good reminder to express gratitude. Sometimes I forget about the trials and tribulations I faced and the hard road I took to get to where I am. Battling cancer and infertility now seem a thing so distant as I enjoy my health and my beautiful family. The years we were moving around while my hubby finished his education and we lived in a 800 sq.ft apartment in the middle of nowhere and I had to do our laundry by hand? (Yes that happened). A thing of the past. Living in Ghana, West Africa and seeing what true poverty looks like first-hand can often be forgotten as we are surrounded by all of the good things in our lives.
“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it, is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” -William Arthur Ward
Studies have shown that expressing gratitude whether publicly or privately increase happiness and satisfaction in life. Basically it boils down to thankful people are the happiest people.
“I would maintain that thanks
are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” - G.K. Chesterton
This month I am participating in a #30ThankfulDays challenge thrown by The Dating Divas. I am a director there and we are challenging all of our readers to join in. We are focusing specifically on expressing gratitude for our spouses (since we are a marriage strengthening site) but anyone can enter and participate, whether you are married or not! All you have to be is thankful!
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.”
- John F. Kennedy
Those who can give thanks for little will always find they have enough. This month, end your day with writing down 5 things you’re grateful for that happened that day. Deynece and I wanted to challenge everyone (including ourselves) do this little exercise and see how it benefits your life. We don’t want to just give gratitude, but LIVE gratitude!
“The way to develop the best that is in
a person is by appreciation and encouragement.” - Charles Schwab
In the spirit of gratitude our friends at Cents of Style are offering their NEW Thankful. Grateful. Blessed T-Shirt FREE!
Here’s how it works:
The code is THANKFUL1 and it will make each t-shirt FREE with any $25 purchase, + FREE SHIPPING! Anything on the site is free game - any purchase that totals $25 qualifies for the free t-shirt. Here are steps for purchase:
1- Find products you love (jewelry, clothes, shoes, whatever you have to have) and add it to your cart.
2- When the cart totals $25, add the Thankful Grateful Blessed shirt from our Fashion Friday page to the cart.
3- Hit Checkout.
4- Put the code THANKFUL1 in the “Gift Card or Discount Code” Box to make your t-shirt FREE!
Easy Peasy! Click here to order!
We love a good deal, darling clothes and the company Cents of Style themselves! Jump on over and check this deal out. It will arrive in time for Thanksgiving and would be perfect to wear to any dinners you have planned. Pair it with the blanket scarf and you’ll be as festive and fall as they come!
I decided to share my gratitude journal thus far in case it inspires you!
Tuesday, November 1st
- Grateful for the team of women I work with daily.
- Grateful for a husband that helps fold laundry.
- Grateful for good books!
- Grateful for my vehicle being able to take me to and fro.
- Grateful for the ability to donate clothes instead of tossing them once my kids outgrow them.
Wednesday, November 2nd
- Grateful for my hubby’s dedication to his work.
- Grateful he’s done with this last round of post doctoral education! Wahoo!
- Grateful for the arts and the ability to attend the Charleston Film Festival Premiere!
- Grateful for the beautiful state I get to live in and that I now call home!
- Grateful for amazing friends who are like family.
Thursday, November 3rd
- Grateful for my kiddos great teachers.
- Grateful for email!
- Grateful for a calm day to re-set.
- Grateful for a hubby who understands I need down time every once in awhile
- Grateful for my health
Friday, November 4th
- Grateful I get to blog!!!!
Since today has only just begun we will see what lies in store! It really doesn’t have to be a hard exercise. Just a sentence. Reading back through it’s fun to see how your week went.
We hope you’ll join us! All you need is a pen and paper (if you are old school like me), your phone or your computer! At the end of this month we will wrap up our Thankful exercise and probably throw in a giveaway (since we love them around here). What are the things you are grateful for this week?
XO~ M&D
