CAN YOU REALLY BE GRATEFUL FOR THIS?

Here we are at another Monday again. Those can be tough for many of us. Returning to the work grind. Perhaps the weather is a little difficult to navigate? You foolishly ask yourself, “How could it get any worse?” Enter a sinus infection. That is what I am dealing with today. Have been for the last couple of days. Face hurts, nose feels like a faucet someone forgot to turn off. Not the best of times. In the face of this, how can you be grateful? Here is how finding things to be grateful for and living a gratitude lifestyle differ.

If I were just looking for something to be grateful for, it might be a little difficult at the moment. It still could be done. After all, I was able to seek medical attention, get medicine and return to a job that I have. Those are three things to be grateful for right there. Yes, I have to go to work, but in the same breath, I have a work to go to. Getting back to the sinus infection. It does come with a host of unpleasant side-effects. It makes just going through a regular day feel like running a marathon at times. Same can be said when you have the flu or a bad head cold. It is not going to kill you, but you feel like you are walking in quick sand most of the time. How can you be grateful for something like that? By appreciating the contrast to a regular working day that it gives you. Suddenly the thought of a regular Monday sounds a lot better. You think to yourself, “If only I didn’t have this illness, my day would be a lot smoother.” The irony is that when we are busy lamenting a Monday, we never say to ourselves, “At least I am not sick.”

Health becomes something we take for granted most of the time. It is only when our health starts to suffer that we seem to appreciate our regular good health. In that way, illness is the best kick in the butt to remind us that our health is something we should be thankful for each and every day. We do, when it begins to return we are so grateful to be rid of whatever ailment we were suffering from. That lasts a few days until once again we just assume that being healthy is the norm and not something to be grateful for. As much as I am not enjoying this sinus infection, I am grateful for the reminder to appreciate the health that I normally take for granted as part of my normal day. How about you? Do you only appreciate your health when you do not have it? Have you ever viewed an illness as a great reminder to appreciate that health? Have you ever been grateful for that reminder? It can make getting through it a little easier.