Each year at this time we all experience more stress than usual. There is the stress of decorating, or the stress of seeing family that we may not have seen all year. And of course there is the stress of purchasing Christmas presents for our loved ones. That last one provides the most stress. With the economy the way that it is, for many of us the thought of finding extra money to pay for Christmas presents can be overwhelming. Also, since it is the end of the year some of us reflect on our previous year and think about those things that we did not get to accomplish. And, we miss loved ones that have passed on.
All of those things can be pretty depressing for some. But, they do not have to be. This year Mercy would like us to reflect on what we do have. Chances are you have a lot more to be thankful for than you might think. I know that I have many things to be thankful for. Here is a brief list:
1. I am thankful for my wonderful, smart, beautiful kids. I am the mom to 2 sets of twins. And there was a time when I thought it would never happen.
2. I am very thankful for my house. We have a beautiful home with lots of space and I feel blessed to be here.
3. This will sound insane, but I am thankful to have been let go from my job back in January 2012. Yes, that sounds crazy. And I am not saying that I will never work again. However, I knew that I was in a bad place mentally. There was so much going on, and I was not in a good position. Leaving there has opened up many doors. I have truly found my entrepreneurial spirit and I like it. I feel blessed to have the skills and drive to go down this road.
4. I am very thankful for my families health. Yes, we get colds and such, but we have been mostly healthy and for that I am very thankful.
I'm sure this list could go on and on. There is much, much more that I am thankful for. It is because of those things that I reflect at this time of year and know that I must continue to do the best that I can, or even better. I need to continue to strive forward for myself, my kids, and my sanity. My kids are what are most important to me. And by making sure that things are right with myself, I can pass it on to them. My blessings keep me focused on the bigger picture.
Are you reflecting on what you are thankful for? If not, you should. You can join the movement on the Our Blessings Count website. I shared my blessings. I also read some of the other blessings submitted. It is very moving.
Have you shared your blessings at ourblessingscount.com? If so, what blessings did you share?
Mercy recognizes the stress we put on ourselves and our families over the holidays. They want to remind us that ‘Our greatest blessing is to see others blessed.’ One way we can do this is to pause, list our blessings, and share them with others. Let’s count our blessings together at www.ourblessingscount.com.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Mercy. The opinions and text are all mine.
