{"id":20118,"date":"2019-11-28T08:30:00","date_gmt":"2019-11-28T00:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mywomenstuff.com\/?p=20118"},"modified":"2019-11-28T09:01:47","modified_gmt":"2019-11-28T01:01:47","slug":"gratitude-thankful","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mywomenstuff.com\/2019\/11\/gratitude-thankful\/","title":{"rendered":"Gratitude: Reflecting on 3 things for which I am grateful and thankful"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

At around this time of year every year, when the Black Friday sales notices flood my email inbox, and I’m bombarded on Instagram with a never-ending wave of sales and discounts, I pause for a moment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is this time of year that I take stock of how my year has progressed, and I say a quiet Thank You to the universe for giving me yet another year on which to reflect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"gratitude\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Thanksgiving is a festival that we do not celebrate in Malaysia, but it is a practice that goes beyond roast turkey and pumpkin pie and Black Friday sales. While we have embraced Black Friday sales to our bosom, it makes me wonder why we don’t embrace what Thanksgiving is truly about – gratitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, while you read this, pause for a moment. Close your eyes for just a few seconds, and think quickly of 3 things you are thankful and grateful for. You might be surprised to know that it won’t involve material goods \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

This year, I have much to be thankful and grateful for. Much of it is personal, so while I am vague about it, it isn’t because I’m being evasive. It is simply because I don’t bare my soul nor share my life with the world at large \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there are 3 things I’m grateful and thankful for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having time to spare<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

My Dad had a health scare this year, followed by surgery. He is now recovering quickly and well, but it has taken up a lot of my time to be there for my family. It will go a little towards explaining my slightly longer absences on the blog and Instagram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what I’m most grateful and thankful for, is Time. Specifically, having the time to spare for loved ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I shared in a recent post<\/a>, I have taken a few steps back from the rat race that comes with having and growing a career. While it wasn’t in the most ideal of circumstances, it is something I’ve learnt to accept and embrace these past 2 years, instead of fighting it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is almost as if the universe had planned it this way, for what this has meant is that I am there for those who need me, when they need me most. Hospital visits. Outstation travel. Fulfilling sudden and urgent needs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My time has never been so relaxed, and yet so full; but at this moment, I would not have it any other way. I am grateful \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"parisb<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Being Happy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There was a quote I came across online quite recently. It said this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The biggest lie we’re told is “Be with someone who makes you happy” The truth is, Happiness is something you create on your own. Be with someone who adds to it.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Nothing could be further from the truth of this statement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We shouldn’t need anyone else to validate or make our own happiness or well-being. It is nice to have someone by your side who makes you smile and feel happy; but it isn’t their job, nor purpose to keep or make you happy. If that’s what you depend on to be happy, then it is easy for resentment to set in, when the honeymoon period is over or when things get rough. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, find your own happiness, not depend on another for it. Do things that make you happy. Be comfortable with yourself, doing things yourself, knowing that you are the master of your own happiness. Be a self-sufficient, confident individual first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Should the time come that someone comes along, that builds up or adds to this state of happiness and contentment, be it participating in a madcap adventure, or just quietly reflecting on life on a walk in the park; that is a bonus and something to cherish and be grateful for. If it is someone who will share your worries and anxieties, be there when the road gets bumpy, spend hours waiting with you in a cold hospital, and still make you smile with their lame jokes, that is something to be doubly grateful for. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seizing Opportunities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This year has been quite a year for opportunities, both in a personal and professional sense. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ve sought and had opportunities thrust on me, in ways most unexpected. For the most part, I have recognised them as what they are – a window of opportunity, whether it be to meet new people, or to hone my creative side, and seized it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The results have surprised me, in many ways. But mostly positively. I’ve learnt to step outside my comfort zone, to open up and allow people in, and to try something new.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’m grateful and thankful at having had these opportunities, and more important, for recognizing them as such, and carpe<\/em>-ing the hell out of the diem <\/em>\ud83d\ude00<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"parisb<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

YOU!!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Naturally, I am also thankful and grateful for YOU<\/strong>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you for all your support through this year and, for many of you, throughout the years that I’ve been blogging. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you for reading my blog, and for following me on Instagram. If you’d like to aid me on my road to 10k followers (I need the IG story ‘swipe up’ function LOL! \ud83d\ude1b ) please follow me on Instagram<\/a> and tell your friends to – you’d have my gratitude and hopefully some fun content \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Would you like to share 3 things you’re thankful or grateful for?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

You don’t have to, if it’s too personal. But it’s a good time to reflect, so pause for a moment, and reflect. We have lots to be thankful for – we just have to recognize it \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paris B<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

At around this time of year every year, when the Black Friday sales notices flood my email inbox, and I’m bombarded on Instagram with a never-ending wave of sales and discounts, I pause for a moment. It is this time of year that I take stock of how my year has progressed, and I say<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":20119,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":"","_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[53,21],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nGratitude: Reflecting on 3 things for which I am grateful and thankful - My Women Stuff<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mywomenstuff.com\/2019\/11\/gratitude-thankful\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Gratitude: Reflecting on 3 things for which I am grateful and thankful - My Women Stuff\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"At around this time of year every year, when the Black Friday sales notices flood my email inbox, and I’m bombarded on Instagram with a never-ending wave of sales and discounts, I pause for a moment. 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