Gratitude Blog - Rey of Gratitude

Tone

5/10/2022

Do you ever have times where one word just seems to stick out? The word tone seems to be the theme of my month. From working on toning my body to trying to be more conscious of the tone I use when I speak (especially when I'm frustrated); the word tone has popped up again and again.

Tone. It is such a small word but it can have a big impact. The tone of our voice can drastically change the words we say. It can make a simple statement sound rude or angry. It can shift the course of our day, uplifting or bringing the storm. And it can have a powerful effect on those around us too, especially kids.

Tone. To get toned I need to get moving. I need to add more movement in my day to pull out of this slump. The interesting thing is when I am toning my body and getting that movement in, the tone of my voice is usually better too. Everything feels better when I feel better and moving makes me feel great!

I'm grateful for the word tone. I'm grateful to see how movement makes so many big changes. I'm grateful to be mindful of my tone with my children. I'm grateful to be making more effort to be mindful of my tone when speaking to anyone. I'm grateful to notice the tone inside my head as I speak to myself and see where a little more grace could be added. I'm grateful for a word to focus on this month as I move forward, clearing and growing.

What word seems to be the theme of your month? Is it a word that is helpful? Is it one of growth that resonates with you?

May we find just the right word to help us grow. May we find ways to bring more joy and growth into our lives. Have a beautiful day!

Midnight Cuddles

5/3/2022

There is nothing like preparing to get rid of baby stuff to make me remember to cherish each moment. My kids are growing so fast. It is hard to believe they will be launching off to school next year and we will all be stepping into the first steps of our next phase of life.

While I do not miss the getting up every couple hours during the night and blow out diapers, there are plenty of things I do miss about the baby stage. I loved just having a baby cuddled to me all day long and nursing and all the little milestones.

My oldest has always struggled with sleep. Even now we are up at least once every couple weeks with nightmares or fears. It can be exhausting for all of us and particularly rough on her. Last night I had a new perspective as she woke me to ask if I would come sleep with her. One of these days, she will outgrow this. One of these days she won't need her mommy sleeping next to her to ward off the bad dreams. And I won't know when the last time will be until it just doesn't happen.

As I lay in bed next to her and listened to her deep breaths of dreaming, I didn't even mind that I couldn't fall back to sleep. I just practiced soaking up each sound. I tried to commit it to memory so I will always have these moments with her curled up next to me in my heart.

I'm grateful my babies still need me. I'm grateful for a new perspective. I'm grateful to say yes and be there for her. I'm grateful she has a queen size bed so we can both sleep. I'm grateful for her soft, deep breaths that are so peaceful. I'm grateful to know I can catch up on sleep soon. I'm grateful for each moment, as they are growing so fast.

What do you cherish? What memories do you hold so close?

May we remember to enjoy the moments we have with our loved ones. May we cherish our precious children. Have a beautiful day!

Friendship

4/26/2022

Friendship is a wonderful gift. There is something about spending time with a friend that lifts my spirits. And I am so blessed to have such a wonderful variety of friends.

I'm grateful for friends who take time to make my kids feel special. I'm grateful for friends who can hold a conversation even with frequent interruptions from little ones. I'm grateful to make time to see my friends when I can. I'm grateful to invite them to tag along, even on errands, just to connect. I'm grateful for phones and internet that allow me to keep in touch over the distances. I'm grateful for beautiful flowers. I'm grateful for breaths of fresh air. I'm grateful to be emerging from my winter "slumber".

Who has been your friend the longest? What friendships have spanned long distances? What are the best traits you bring to a friendship?

May we take time to stay connected. May we cherish our friends like family. Have a beautiful day!

Traveling at Home

4/25/2022

This weekend was a busy one. We spent a whole day at the zoo walking the different continents to see the animals. Then the following day my oldest daughter and I spent a few hours at the Ethnic Festival, watching performances and tasting the food. We stayed within an hour of home, but it felt like we traveled for the weekend.

I love experiencing other cultures. I love seeing the beautiful animals of the world. I love making donations that I feel make the world a better place. And I love sharing these experiences with my kids.

I'm grateful for a wonderful local zoo. I'm grateful for the care they are taking in updating their habitats to make the animals more comfortable. I'm grateful to take time to walk all around and share time with friends and family. I'm grateful for events like the Ethnic Festival that help spread knowledge about the different cultures and traditions. I'm grateful to watch some traditional dances from around the world. I'm grateful for representation for Ukraine at the festival. I'm grateful for good food. And I'm grateful for the opportunity to get up on stage and take a hula dancing lesson.

Where would you love to visit? Which cultures call to you? What are your own favorite traditions?

May we celebrate our differences together. May we share the beauty of our cultures and build a word of understanding and respect. Have a beautiful day!

Change of Scenery

4/11/2022

It may sound like a lot of work to pack, load the car, and cart the family out of town. It can be. But sometimes the change of scenery is what we all need. And if the destination is Grandma's house then it is well worth it!

I'm grateful to get out of town this weekend and reset. I'm grateful to be spoiled with great food. I'm grateful to get to walk the botanical gardens, even if it was mostly the kid section. I'm grateful to see fairies tucked in among the display. I'm grateful for the beauty of tulips. I'm grateful to be back home and getting back to routine. I'm grateful for the love of grandmas and mothers-in-law that make everything better.

How do you reset? What is your favorite change of scenery?

May today bring just the change we need. May we take a moment to stop and smell the tulips. Have a beautiful day!

Laugh It Off

4/7/2022

Sometimes we just need a day to laugh it off. Perhaps it is my lack of sleep or maybe I have mentally "cracked" a little bit, either way I'll take the laughter over the stress any day.

When school pictures arrive and your kid's tongue is sticking out. When the cashier tries to charge you for a gift card instead of using it for your purchase. When your child insists on singing the potty song even in public bathrooms. When you trip on your own pants. These are moments for laughter. Just let it out. It's minor. It's silly. So enjoy the moment and just laugh.

I'm grateful for the shift in energy. I'm grateful for shenanigans. I'm grateful to just laugh. I'm grateful for a fun day spent with my mom. I'm grateful to just sing, potty song or whatever my kids request, without care of who will hear. I'm grateful for my daughter's commitment to being one hundred percent herself, even on picture day.

What helps you laugh? What shenanigans are going on in your life this week?

May we never lose our sense of humor. May we enjoy the little moments as they are happening. Have a beautiful day!

The Power of Mom

3/29/2022

Life can be challenging sometimes. As a mom, it is hard when I see my kids struggling. It is moments like these I am grateful to have the superpower of the title "Mom".

It doesn't matter if I actually feel like a super-mom. It doesn't even matter if I feel like I'm flopping as a mom that day. If my child is crying, scared, or had a bad dream; mom is the only person who will do. They call for me and it kicks on the superpowers. MOM IS HERE!

Honestly, it isn't even just my kids. I do the same thing. Sometimes...okay a lot of times, I just need to talk to my mom. Most the time it doesn't even matter what she says in response, it's just that comfort of knowing she's there.

I'm grateful to be a mom. I'm grateful to be able to claim this superpower that my kids see in me. I'm grateful to be able to help fix some things with just a hug or holding their hand. I'm grateful to be there for them, as my mom is there for me. I'm grateful to be blessed to spend a lot of time with my mom. I'm grateful for all my mom has done for me to help me grow into the person I am today.

What brings out your inner superpower? Who do you lean on when you need a hug?

May today remind us that we are all superheroes in our own way and we all need a hero every once in a while too. Have a beautiful day!

Honestly

2/22/2022

Something tells me the little guy in the picture above is not really feeling as "smiley face" as his response. While I got a good giggle out of the irony of a dead bug on the feeling good symbol, it isn't as funny to think how accurate this is.

How many times do we get asked how we are doing and say okay or great when that isn't really the case at all? We tell ourselves the person is just being polite or doesn't want to hear the real answer. We tell ourselves we are maintaining boundaries or protecting our privacy. Or maybe we think if we say it enough it will come true.

But what do we gain from hiding away like that? What do we gain by never sharing negative feelings? We create a wall and a stigma about what is okay to share. When, in fact, we all have shitty days sometimes. What if we could just say, "you know, I'm not doing well." What if we answered, "I struggling today."?

Would it be so terrible for people to know we're human? Would it be terrible for someone to know our life isn't perfect every minute of every day? And let's be honest, they still have the option of how they choose to respond to that answer. They may let it go at that or they may just show a deeper level of caring than you realized and lend and ear. Either way is perfectly fine.

I'm grateful to be seeing more push lately to erase the stigma of our emotions. I'm grateful for more people taking off the "perfect" images on Facebook and admitting we all have issues. I'm grateful to try to be catching myself and giving real answers instead of mindless ones. I'm grateful to admit when I'm not doing great and see the amazing people in my life give support. I'm grateful to do the same for my friends and family. I'm grateful for clients that confide in me. I'm grateful to do my best to teach my kids all emotions are okay. I'm grateful for this bug and his big dying message. And I'm grateful to find a little humor in the message as well.

How are you today? Who can you be real with and who do you allow to be real with you?

May we give everyone the respect of being real. May we make room for the unpleasant. May we accept not every day is great. And may today be beautiful no matter what it brings.

Giving Meaning

2/21/2022

When I say the word "melt" it may conjure up images of the snow fading and Spring being one step closer. You may feel relief or joy, or possibly disappointment. If I used the same word, "melt", about ice cream you may be more likely to think that's a bummer. The word itself isn't good or bad, but we put context, meaning, and feelings to it.

Not only to we make meaning for words all the time, but we do it for situations too. If I said I woke up at 5:45 this morning, some of you may think that sounds terribly early while others may be impressed that I slept in. For me, that is sleeping in.

The thing about meaning is that it can change by the situation. It can change by the context. It can change by who is interacting and interpreting it.

It is easy to think reality is one thing. It is easy to see things from our own view. But reality is three million interpretations of different aspects of a situation that are formed by each person. That is why we all have our own reality.

This is what allows some people to be in the middle of a pandemic while other people are in the middle of a conspiracy. It allows some people to be completely miserable where everything goes wrong and some people to be thrilled with all the beautiful lessons life has gifted. Reality is merely our own interpretation of what we decide is "real".

I'm grateful for the snow melting. I'm grateful my ice cream did not melt. I'm grateful my oldest daughter had a day off school to come watch her little sister swim. I'm grateful to make the day special for her with a special lunch and lunch guest. I'm grateful for a warm shower. I'm grateful to be finding my own "normal" in the reality I've been living. I'm grateful to recognize just how powerful perception and interpretation are to each moment and choice. I'm grateful to recognize some old wounds resurfacing so I can work on them at a deeper level. I'm grateful to remind myself that other people's reality is as real to them as mine is to me.

Where can you offer respect and acknowledgment for other people's reality? Where are you willing to look at your reality with a different perspective, even just for a moment, so see something a new way?

May we be patient with each other as we navigate our own realities. May we be opened to viewing our reality in a new way. May we find respect and love in this compassion. Have a beautiful day!

Reading

2/15/2022

Reading has always been a love of mine. My girls and I read together all the time. It is part of our routines before quiet time and before bed. But it is also just something we enjoy doing randomly throughout the day.

We easily read over thirty books a week and that isn’t counting that we read some of them on repeat. So, when I say we made a stop at the library today, it is synonymous with it was a great day!

I’m grateful for an amazing library system here that always has so many options. I’m grateful to get so many books every week and still not be out of choices. I’m grateful for helpful librarians when I am looking for a specific theme. Most of all, I’m grateful my girls love cuddling up to read as much as I do. I’m grateful for the language they have developed from our reading time together. I’m grateful to watch them move through their interests in books. I’m grateful to watch my five-year-old reading at a second-grade level and just cruising through the words. I’m even grateful for the way she corrects me if I skip a word or adlib a story. I’m grateful for time to read on my own too.

What was the last book you read? What was your favorite book growing up?

May we find joy in learning. May we let our emotions be carried with the story. And may we enjoy the stories someone took the time to share. Have a beautiful day!