My name is Sheri and it’s been four days since I’ve blogged.

What can I say? It’s been a crazy week. My daughter arrived on Thursday night, I got my new iPhone on Friday, only to fight with it for several hours before realizing I’d gotten an 8GB phone which barely holds the operating system and the apps. Spent most of Saturday fussing with AT&T (who ultimately proved to be quite accommodating) and getting a different phone. To top it off, the winds knocked the power out for several hours today, but as we’d planned to go see MockingJay anyway, it worked out ok. Oh, and of course, the power outage meant another call to AT&T to get my TV back online.

The joys of technology. But tonight, all is right with my world. The electronics are functioning, my desk is covered in cats, I’m on the downhill side of the novel writing challenge, and it’s not even midnight!

What better time to renew my relationship with my poor, neglected blog? Also neglected temporarily due to phone issues and other minor calamities, was my gym routine. I only got in two workouts this week and no pilates, but will rectify that in the next few days. I’m ready to get back to healthy eating and sufficient exercise!

Funny how missing parts of a routine that makes you feel so good really puts a hitch in your gitalong. I feel slow and logey right now because I’ve eaten too much starch and not enough veggies. The only saving grace is that I’m consuming vast quantities of water in the process, and have been doing very little snacking between meals. Focus on the positives, right?

I’ve gotten into several conversations lately about the pros and cons of recognizing the darkness in our lives. The pervading opinion seems to be that we need to embrace the darkness of our souls as well as the light because the darkness is what brings us balance and provides us with the lessons to actually strive for the light. There are also elements in the darkness without which the light would simply have no meaning. No matter how hard we try, we simply cannot remain positive every minute of every day. We are offered challenges which drag us down, but as with my recent experience with AT & T, it isn’t so much the challenge as how we handle it.

Once again, I discovered that if I continue to treat people kindly and respectfully no matter how irritated I am, things will eventually turn in my favor. In this case, I came out with everything I wanted and maybe even a little more. At the point where I was becoming more frustrated, I took a mental step back, told myself to relax and that everything would work out fine. It was only a few minutes later that the manager offered me a solution I had not expected, but for which I am very grateful.

So as I continue to work on avoiding getting stressed out over the current level of my income, I have built a little reminder into my brain. When I start getting wound up in the “don’t haves” I remind myself that I truly do have everything I need and that anything which contradicts that is merely a temporary illusion. The opportunity I seek is just around the corner. I simply need to keep my faith high and strong, and continue to work towards my goals.

The point where things seem darkest is the point at which our faith in ourselves and our own propensity for success becomes an incredibly powerful force.

It’s as if we are being tested, in the manner of Job, to see if we can hold our course no matter what our senses might be telling us. But unlike Job, we aren’t going to get slammed against the rocks time and time again. Our faith and our confidence in ourselves will reap positive results, and will do so each and every time!

As human beings, one of our worst failings is a desire for instant gratification. We give up too quickly if we don’t see the desired results almost instantaneously. That is a lesson I needed to learn and have, as a result, trained myself to focus on the small gains. The small gains do happen relatively quickly, but here’s the real secret. The small gains also begin to add up quickly until you look back for a second and realize just how far you’ve come without even realizing it.

And so, I will continue to hold that faith that my goals, wishes and dreams are, even now, coming true in a host of small ways which, before I realize it, will be the next big thing.

My gratitudes tonight are:
1. I am grateful to be getting a whole week with my daughter and grand puppy.
2. I am grateful for all of the small victories.
3. I am grateful for the opportunity to get back to my healthy habits.
4. I am grateful for the family and friends who will share our Thanksgiving, both directly and indirectly.
5. I am grateful for the amazing things I’ve learned, accomplished and received this year.
6. I am grateful for abundance: blessings, gratitude, friendship, accomplishments, inspiration, perseverance, harmony, happiness, joy, love, peace and prosperity.

Namaste