How to Find Something to Appreciate, Even When It's Hard

I went to a wedding this past weekend. It was my cousin’s wedding. My younger cousin. Yep, it hurt a bit. It’s like they knew how single I was and they didn’t even bother inviting me with a plus-one. To be the single one among so many of my relatives, many of them younger than I and looking so happy in their relationships, was just a pain in the heart.  Plus I had had a rough week with losing files from my computer, a broken fence, a delivery behind schedule, and a course launch.  Oh yeah, and I had a bad case of hormones. 

I left the wedding early to have a pity party with Irish creme and Matthew McConaughey.

In the middle of the movie, I caught myself. “What the heck are you doing? You feel like crap. Pull up your socks, and get yourself out of this.”  

Okay. Time to bring out the best medicine.  It’s not laughter. It’s not Irish creme. It’s not even Matthew McConaughey.  It’s appreciation.  

I thought through my week and weekend. Out of that, what could I possibly appreciate? I was so down, I had to mentally scramble around to find something to appreciate. Then it hit me.

When you can’t find anything to appreciate, think of all the things you’re afraid to lose and start there. 

With that start, my list became long. Really long. From the clothes on my back, to the air in my lungs; from my sense of sight, to my ability to use my hands and legs; from my loving family, to my freedom to change how I feel, there are millions of things to be grateful for! In fact there are way more things to appreciate than things to complain about!

Though it had been a rough week and a challenging weekend, I found my way through, leaning on those things that are going right. Letting appreciation carry me.  The weekend turned around, with good conversation and pizza.  Appreciation did not find me a soulmate, but it did put my head on straight again. 

Here’s to Conquering Stress,
The Stress Experts