You know what it’s time for?! GRATITUDE!

Sometimes in life, we need to distract ourselves from the abject shittiness of circumstances. Often a great way to do that is to refocus on those things for which we are grateful. When I was in college (and Ren and Stimpy was on TV), I had a pages-long list I’d termed my “Happy, happy! Joy, joy!” list. I’ve long since lost that notebook, but why not recreate it?

HAPPY, HAPPY, JOY, JOY LIST!!!

• Springtime in Ohio (all 3 days of it!)
• Tulips
• Watching “Parks & Rec” on Netflix with both of my girls
• PAYDAY!
• Snuggly kitties (if you’re not allergic. Aloof kitties if you are.)
• Reese’s Pieces (esp in the little carrot bag at Easter!)
• Making someone laugh out loud, loudly
• Wonder Woman drinking glasses
• Wonder Woman drinking glasses filled with Malibu Rum and Cranberry Juice
• Elephants
• Really bad puns (Do good puns even exist?)
• Colorful knee-high socks
• Chris Pratt (I mean, COME ON!!!)
• Teenage sass (If it makes me laugh, you’re not in trouble.)
• Chocolate covered strawberries
• LAWSON’S CHIP DIP (with chips or spoon. Whichever.)
• Jim Gaffigan’s stand up
• The movie Drop Dead Gorgeous
• Watching your kids step outside of their comfort zone
• Yoga
• Delivery (My kids are probably more grateful for that than I am!)
• Soft toilet paper (especially after growing up using Scott’s tissue. I think it’s literally tissue paper.)
• Hand-cut French fries
• Winning ANYTHING at McDonald’s Monopoly
• Sunny day, road trip, windows down
• Starry nights (sans mosquitos)
• Remote controls (when they’re not lost)
• Trips to the farmers’ market
• Picnics!!!!
• Decorating Christmas trees
• Random warm winter days (NO COATS!!!)
• Early morning bird songs
• Sleeping in (I hear some people still do that)
• When unwanted plans are cancelled (FREEDOM!)
• Old friends
• New friends
• Blogs that basically write themselves 😉

So while there’s no question that this year has been a rough one for me, there are certain choices I CAN make to improve my mental health. I can’t change my dad’s health. I can’t change my chronic headaches. I can’t change the end of my relationship. I CAN change where I focus. I CAN choose to remember all of the wonderful things that surround me.

This is Mental Health month. The mentally ill have my heart and my soul because the burden of those illnesses are both invisible AND often discounted by society. Starting out with gratitude is, I think, fitting. We may not want these illnesses. We may feel like we can’t endure them. We may feel desperately alone and overwhelmed. But there is goodness. There is light. And though it is decidedly NOT easy, we can change our seats to look toward the good and away from the dismal.

I’m walking the walk with you all. And today we start by being grateful.

Life isn’t easy, but you are worth the fight. I am worth the fight. We got this.