30 Days of Gratitude Challenge - Day 26

[Granny_Weatherwax]

Oh happy day! 

Today we are flipping the script. Think about something that is troubling you - a situation, a person, financial woes. Contemplate how you have reacted to that situation or person. How is it negatively affecting you? What are the three biggest drawbacks of that situation or relationship? 

Now, how can you show gratitude for that situation or relationship? Is there an opportunity for personal growth? How will changing your perspective and looking at the situation from a point of gratitude help you in dealing with that situation?

Write this down for your Gratitude jar or journal. You might need more than a slip of paper today. 

I know this one is tough. Really tough. If you don't want to share publicly, simply write "Gratitude", "Grateful" or "Flipped the script" in a comment.

 

[Granny_Weatherwax]

Here's an example from me.

I have anxiety attacks every time I go grocery shopping. Heart racing, sweating, verge of tears, full on flight response. It comes from being overweight, unsuccessful weight loss attempts the past few years (darn you, menopause), trying multiple diets (Keto, Paleo, GF, DF), having celiac, having family members who can and want to eat whatever they want (fear of cross contamination), rising prices of groceries, lack of meal planning, and so on. At times my anxiety is so high, I cannot go shopping by myself and need my DH to go with me (which makes it more challenging as he loves to buy food items but not necessarily anything that would be a part of a meal; he'll do great if I give him a list or send him to get specific items, but when we go without pre-planning, well...see my meal planning issue).

I have begun to go through a mental checklist whenever I go to the store. I say this to myself over and over.

Is there money in the account to pay for this food? If yes, be grateful.

Is this food healthy and nourishing? If yes, be grateful.

Will this be part of a homemade meal? If yes, be grateful.

If the answer is ever "No", it remains on the shelf.

I am grateful to be able to afford good, nourishing food. I am grateful to be able to talk myself down while grocery shopping. I am grateful to have the strength to determine when something is for emotional eating and when it is for nourishment. I am grateful I can budget for a treat every now and then. I am grateful I can exercise and research healthy foods and recipes.

 

[Hannah]

47 minutes ago, Granny_Weatherwax said:

Here's an example from me.

 

I'm sorry that you find grocery shopping so tough.  Good on you for facing it and turning it into the positive (((hugs)))

[Hannah]

I was about to fly to the UK to see my sisters and their families next Thursday, and then South Africa was put on the red list last night due to the new Corona strain...it is really very disappointing, but I guess I'm grateful that

• We have all made it through Covid so far and are still healthy and able to even consider visiting each other 
• I have a job that allows me disposable income for overseas travel
• I'm not stranded mid-journey as many people now are.

Edited November 26, 2021 by Hannah

[mom31257]

@Granny_Weatherwax, I am sorry for your anxiety and glad you are finding ways to work through it. I have been dealing with anxiety myself over the last year and thought it was because of some stuff that happened last fall. With your post, I am wondering if it's menopause, being a little overweight, something I'm eating, etc. 

@Hannah, I'm sorry you aren't able to go see your family, and I pray you all stay healthy and safe. 

I meant to post last evening, but ds wanted us all to watch the new Hawkeye. So I guess I did take time to relax and enjoy myself. 

I think my anxiety about my health is a big concern. I had RMSF last year that was treated, but before I was diagnosed I had some inner ear problems and anxiety about pain and dizziness I was having. I had to have a CT scan, which scared me they would find a tumor (I had one in my sinuses a few years ago, but the kind can be in your brain that cause hearing loss.) I started having tremors after that. So I spiraled into a long anxiety spell about it. I went through testing for several things and nothing was found, so I was diagnosed with familial tremor that runs in my family. Sometimes I worry deep down they were wrong, which fuels the anxiety. I think I'm having anxiety attacks in my sleep because I'm waking up short of breath, but I don't normally have it while I'm awake. A big anxiety is driving on the interstate. I have avoided that for about 3 months. Our insurance has a big deductible to pay before it does, so I tend to forgo going to the doctor. The tests last year cost us a couple thousand. I don't want to do that again to hear there's nothing wrong. 

So here's how I try to turn it around:

Wake up anxious, short of breath:  I deep breathe and pray, focusing on God's blessings. I read scripture sometimes, too. 

When my tremors feel worse: I remember my dad has them and they are just now quite a bit worse in his 80s. I know that any weakness will keep me dependent on God for His help, so I'm thankful for things that bring me closer to Him. 

I haven't tackled the interstate thing yet. 

I am grateful I am in good enough help to do most everything I want. I am grateful that the anxiety has caused me to stop and think more about what matters. I am grateful it has helped me have more compassion for others who deal with anxiety and other issues. 

 

 

[historically accurate]

This one is both easy and hard for me. The source of pretty much everything that currently troubles me - super easy to pinpoint. Flipping the script? Not so easy, although I do try.

One of my kids has been crippled (almost literally - she uses a wheelchair occasionally now) within the last 4 years with health problems. We are deep in debt due to trying to get answers for her physical health concerns as well as immediate-need mental health stabilizations, maintenance therapy and meds, and everyone else in the family's processing of this almost overnight change. One of my other children is now showing signs that she probably has the same syndrome.

I am forever grateful she is still here and to a few of the mental health professionals who worked with her during her worst moments. I am grateful that my work took a chance on an accountant after 15 years of not practicing which allows me to begin digging out of the financial hole we are in. I am grateful that DD is doing better than I have seen in 4 years, wheelchair and all. I am extremely grateful to see hints of my girl who I was afraid I lost forever at times over the last 4 years. 

[historically accurate]

I am sorry for everyone's struggles - you are all doing well flipping the script though. I feel proud of all of us this morning!

[SKL]

Yes, this is tough.  On one hand, we have so many things to be grateful for, and even for those things that are hard for us, there are always many people who have it far worse.  It feels like what my mom called "crying with a loaf of bread under your arm."

But sure, we have challenges, and there's no point sweeping them under the rug either.

I'll be vague for privacy, regarding certain things my kids are dealing with.  The hard parts:

• The lack of control I have over the situations.  It's my job to fix things and I don't know how ... probably never will ... probably do the wrong things all day long.
• The fact that, from the outside, it looks like I'm not fair, or that I don't care about certain things.  This is a selfish consideration, I know.
• The extent to which the situations compromise seemingly unrelated aspects of "normal life."  Now and for years to come.  Probably forever.

But there is still so much to be grateful for:

• My kids are here with me.
• My kids are glad to be here with me and feel my love.  They talk to me about what troubles them.  They trust me to do my best.
• My kids are doing well on most measures of adolescent OK-ness.

[Melissa Louise]

Lol, I'm a gratitude failure. 

I'm good at being grateful for inanimate things, animals and friends. 

Being grateful for the bad bits? Can't do it. 

I'm so unreconstructed, and that's with years of therapy. 

I'm just at gonna go random. I'm grateful that I'm getting a lift to work this morning, because it's bucketing down. 

[Granny_Weatherwax]

Bump