Count Your Blessings

“Always keep your head up, because if it’s down you won’t be able to see the blessings that have been placed in your life.” – Anonymous

Thanksgiving is a time of reflection and introspection. How often do you stop and acknowledge the blessings in your life? As an individual with a chronic, or life-limiting illness, or a caregiver who is constantly in the caregiving mode, life can often feel bleak. It is so easy to focus on the decline in health and mentation, loss of function and of independence.

The increasing tasks of providing care occupy more and more time. They may be increasing in frequency and complexity. All this means that one is paying less attention to the activities and things that brought us happiness and peace and being more attentive to the various losses.

There are a few things that are easy to do and can help you be more attentive to those not so obvious blessings.

Keep a journal of all the positive and happy moments. Capture the warm greetings that were shared with you by a special friend, note something funny your loved one said, write about how you felt when a meal was dropped off to you or someone did something helpful for you, memorialize something special that you saw out the window
Play favorite pieces of music or songs that were special to you and your loved one, note the response
Cherish the acts of “goodness” and kindness, expressed towards us, they are humbling. Acts of kindness alert and force us to acknowledge that we have “forgotten” to appreciate the goodness around us
Reflect on all that is beautiful, good, and kind around you
Reach out to someone; pay it forward! Return kindness and acknowledge those special individuals for what they do for you

May this Thanksgiving be a time of blessings for you and your loved ones.