A Gratitude a day keeps the Blues at bay

Good morning coffee pot, I am filled with gratitude to see you on my counter today! Hello dishes in my sink that I was too tired to wash before bed, nice to set eyes on you. How wonderful to have a life that is so full, that I struggle to clean up from the bounty! Dishes mean food, thank you!

My son cries from the other room, I had hoped to have thirty minutes to wake up alone. How wonderful, honestly and truly. I have children, who make messes and fudge my plans up on a daily basis. I'm in no danger of falling into the mundane, however it is likely I'll be forced to be human.

What a fantastic problem to have! I find many things that have the power to ruin my mood, can be utilized to do the opposite. When you flip frustration on its head, it will kick its effectiveness away.

My most important minimalist practice is gratitude.
It's free. There is no decision on what piece of furniture you must move to keep it in your life. It increases the value of everything you already own. How easy it is then, not to feel you need more!

Minimalism is a nudge away from consumerism, a commentary on a part of modern life that may not be so good for us. Not all minimal practices involve the physical, however. Many focus on building mental health, clarity in life, and removing barriers to our success.

Every day, I try to keep it simple. That may be that I make a choice to own less, or it may present itself in an opportunity to carry less. Mental baggage can be the most disruptive clutter of all!

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Have you ever found yourself looking at someone else's life and saying, "Wow, they are so much more (whatever) than me!" I think we all do that. A daily practice of mine that coexists with gratitude to help me along, is letting go. I'm not stick skinny and somehow simultaneously curvy, cool!

For all I know the woman I stare at and think, "Geez, imagine being that pretty!" might wish she had something that I was gifted. How shallow of me to assume the happiness of another based on a glimpse. We all do it though, as far as I know. I'm certain it steals our bliss.

I have to remind myself several times a day that the things I think are wrong with me are made up. It's not just my anxiety- it's marketing! My house should be better, my children raised perfectly, I should look nicer... MALARKY! Yes, we all should be consistently trying to better ourselves; to learn and grow. This notion that we're not already great has to stop though!

For me, I fight this by telling myself very sternly, "You are already worth loving. You are already valid." it's hard to wallow in self-pity when you think about what you are telling yourself. You can always decide to tell yourself something kinder. Would you let a loved one be spoken to the way you speak to yourself? If the answer is no, you got to share some of that protectiveness with yourself!

^{Photo by RosZie}
How many items do we own just to love ourselves better? Here in the US, usually quite a few. How much space do we make in our lives to feel awful? Comparison steals our joy. We should opt out I say!

Gratitude and letting go are important daily stables in my happiness, AND my self growth! I can face situations from a better place in myself because of these habits. I am calmer, kinder, and more open to positive experiences. That had to start from within for me, as I used to be a real mess! 😂

I suffer from mental issues that I will not get into, because I've already been serious enough this week 😅. I mention them, because my progress in being mentally healthy has been propped up by minimalism. Having a space I can take in easier, not feel overwhelmed in. Reducing my stress by being responsible for less things. This helps me have energy for the things I really want.

Additionally, I feel so much happier when I accept the home, body, and lifestyle I have are the ones that are just right for me. Budget shopping, childbirth stretch marks, and all! My jouney doesn't look like someone else's because IT ISN'T. And that really is okay.



Daily practices can be anything!
Finding your own way to connect to what makes you feel inspired, can turn your life into an entirely new adventure! When it's clear that I need to recenter, I like to mix and match. I find variety is what life is all about, and keeping it fresh can help me stay in the fun of it.

There are so many great ways to increase mindfulness, and each person will find value in different things. Therefore, I can only speak on the practices that help me. Hopefully others find something helpful in them as well! 😁

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Gratitude
Meditation
Yoga
Spreading Joy
Gardening
Cooking/Baking
Organizing Something

Those are a few of my regulars on my journey to connection. That's what minimalism ultimately is to me, a way to foster better connections in my life! I find that my daily habits keep me centered on this path.

Minimalism and mindfulness are lovers in my mind, perfectly suited to build anything together, to achieve it all! They have forged a path for me to pursue the things that matter to me with a focused mind, yet I know, this is just the beginning!


Thank you to the Minimalist community for starting these wonderful weekly topics, as well as daily themes! If you want to participate in this weeks blogging inspiration, you can find all the info here

^{Gratitude is a gift, you just have to open it💕}