Becoming aware of the struggles of others can remind us to be grateful for our own challenges.

Walking out of the Grand Stand area of the County Fair after Little Big Town gave another amazing performance, I chatted with a dance friend who had joined us while his girlfriend stayed home, having exhausted herself the night before, dancing. As we discussed various friends who had health issues, and some who had passed on, I realized, once again, how very lucky I am! Many of these people are my age and younger, yet I have been blessed with relatively few health issues, and none of them serious.

It’s not that I take any better care of myself than they do; in fact, some of them are much more health conscious than I! It’s not that I follow a purer, more charitable path. Many are more giving of themselves and their time than me. My own mother died when she was my age! (granted, it was at her own hand, but there were certainly issues of health, both mental and physical which led to the choice she made!)

I will admit that part of my blessed life is directly related to my status as an Empath and the extremely high threshold for pain which seems to go with that gift. The aches and pains I do have are much easier to work through and even ignore because what might be debilitating pain for others is more of an annoyance for me. Quite frankly, when things start aching, typically from overuse, I am more likely to tell my body parts to suck it up because I won’t allow them to keep me from doing the things I want to do.

Keeping going and going and going like the Energizer Bunny

This week has been the perfect example! The kids arrived on Monday while I was finishing up my spur-of-the-moment trip to the local animal shelter. I was there for several hours, meeting cats and waiting in lines. When I finally arrived home with the first of two kittens I’d adopted, I got about a half hour break before we were off to have dinner and see a movie. Tuesday was actually pretty quiet, though I did run several errands. Wednesday was nails, gym and vet with the new kitten, and Thursday saw us running into China Town for dim sum and a stroll through the bazaar, followed by another trip to the shelter to pick up kitten #2, and a very active night of dancing. Today, it was off to the Fair where we wandered for several hours, then danced our way through the concert.

Seeing 10,000 steps more often than not

Once again, my Fitbit has buzzed at some point during most days, indicating that I’d, once again, exceeded the 10,000 step goal. What I’m trying to say in my usual, long-winded fashion is that the pace of my life is increasing again, yet I’m rarely too exhausted to go on another adventure or meet up with friends for dancing, concerts, dinner or what have you. Meanwhile, many people around me are spending time in hospitals, nursing illnesses, or are just tired. What makes us so different?

It must be stress!

Yes, that must be it! But even more, spending time being grateful for the wonderful life I’ve created for myself is wonderfully enervating and, as an added bonus, it detoxifies my body, creating an unfriendly environment for things like stress, illness or exhaustion. Of course, it also helps attract more of those things for which I express the gratitude.

Admittedly, I haven’t seen things change overnight, nor have I manifested my heart’s desire…yet. And that, my friends, is the operative word! In a society where people have come to expect instant gratification, and are quick to blame all sorts of outside influences when they don’t get what they want immediately, or, what I like to call the “hares”, the real winners are us tortoises who have learned to plod along, enjoying the scenery, appreciating the little things, and ultimately, getting everything we want and more, just because we were…wait for it…GRATEFUL!

Take a moment to notice how people react when you offer them a sincere “Thank you very much!” and add a smile, not only to your face but to your voice.

Have you ever been out shopping and notice someone being particularly nasty to the salesperson, no matter how hard they try to please? Do you see what it does to that poor sales clerk? Now, it’s your turn. Watch what happens when you smile, offer sincere thanks, say “please” instead of demanding something, and treat the clerk like a valuable human being. Notice any difference? Suddenly that poor, beaten up individual relaxes and will usually smile back! If nothing else, you both gain some health points from the experience.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record: GRATITUDE…GRATITUDE…GRATITUDE

I can’t say it enough. Gratitude is the best elixir for good health ever invented! So in answer to the unasked question: “Yes, I do post my gratitudes for my health!”

My gratitudes tonight are:
1. I am grateful for the crazy pace I get on when I’m with my daughter.
2. I am grateful for the smiles and the hugs from my friends.
3. I am grateful for the happy, healthy lifestyle I enjoy.
4. I am grateful that I was able to rescue two kittens so that two more can also be rescued.
5. I am grateful for abundance for all: Love, health, harmony, joy, peace and prosperity.

Love and Light.