Tuesday 22 November 2016

For Caregivers, It's All About Gratitude


My husband Jim and I are in Milwaukee visiting our daughter.  Natalie works here at an arts research foundation and we really wanted to see where she lives (it's so important for us parents to visualise our kids in their surroundings!). It's a wonderful city and we're excited to leave for Dayton, OH tomorrow where we're joining Natalie's boyfriend and his family for Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is always a time to reflect on gratitude. We wonder what we'll say this year at the dinner table - what exactly ARE we grateful for? Caregivers know that every day, there must be at least one thing to be thankful for. And that mindful practice of purposefully feeling gratitude is one of the keys to surviving long term caregiving.  Science proves it.

So, what am grateful for this year?

  • I am grateful for my health - that I can still dance and exercise.
  • I am grateful for my home and for cooking and eating good food.
  • I am grateful that we are all alive and relative pain-free, especially Nick and my Mum.
  • I am grateful for the wonderful people who help our family care for those we love.
And most of all, I am grateful for the love in my family and in my circle of dear friends.

This Thanksgiving, I wish you all grateful hearts and peaceful minds - good food and kind conversation. All the best and Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

PS: If you would like to test your own Gratitude Score, have a look at THIS! And if you'd like to tell a story about your own gratitude practice (or read about others'), look at THIS!


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