#Mondaymusings-Thanksgiving

   This is a special day to me the day I celebrate how thankful I am on my Canadian Thanksgiving. It doesn’t take a lot of practice to be thankful, but it takes a lot of self control to not be negative and stop complaining. I took a 21 day stop complaining challenge that my lovely friend invited me to. I learned more about myself and my knee jerk trigger reactions to daily life in 3 weeks, than I would’ve just allowing myself to complain. You can read about it here.  I felt more empowered after I completed the challenge to do more loving acts of kindness, be more positive , and to stop complaining! 

I now focus on being thankful for my blessings and remind myself to complain less. I’m finding with each thing that irks me I become mindful and just breathe and then will myself to let it go. It makes me feel so much more in control of my emotions instead of letting them control me. My relationship with my children has become closer and better because I’m focusing on hearing them out then just jumping to conclusions and complaining. 
I read something awhile back in a parenting workshop about how to miss a childhood, and one thing that stood out to me was not listening to your children. As the days went by where I was keeping myself accountable to stop my endless complaining I began to really listen. I’m a talker I like to use different tones and inflections in my voice so to just listen was a feat in itself! The more I did though, the more I connected with my son’s, and the more they wanted to connect with me. 

I have always been a right fighter and needed to have the last word. In my marriage that has led to difficult times. I always tended to blame my childhood as I’m the youngest of six. Growing up as the youngest I didn’t always feel my voice was heard without yelling and fighting. But the sad truth is I’ve been in denial I just wanted to be simply be right and validated.  As I became more mindful of this trigger my marriage changed for the better. More love, more patience, and more respect were infused in my thoughts, words, and actions was the result. 

I began to listen more and talk less, and it changed me from always needing to be right and have the last word. I won’t kid myself and say this isn’t a struggle some days. It’s been a large part of my life and I won’t change overnight. I’m confident though that I will change daily. Because I’m so thankful for my family they lift me up when my heart’s hurting, and love and forgive me when I don’t feel I deserve it. I’m so thankful that I am a strong personality to contend with because I don’t back down, and that has served me well with advocating for my children. 

They’re starting to see a gentler, more mindful Mom than a screaming, complaining banshee of a torment. I’m not proud of those moments when I’ve let the crazy train run off the rails. I am proud that I’ve taken the steps to change that from promoting and participating in my self care. I exercise more, and panic less. I meditate more and hold my breath less. I’m thankful for the calm that can full my days if I allow it to. I’m thankful for this rebirth of me and my loves, my country, and this Thanksgiving day. ❤️

Today I’ve linked up with Everyday Gyaan co-hosted by Kalidescope as part of Write Tribes #Mondaymusings. This is what I was musing about today, thank you for stopping by. 😊

Ten things of thankful

Today I prepared and shared a wonderful turkey dinner with my family. Tomorrow is our Canadian Thanksgiving  and we had our turkey and all the trimmings tonight. It’s so fitting that I’m linking up with Lizzi and the TTOT family on this special weekend. Where quality time spent with my family is what I enjoy the most, from the laughter to our Thanksgiving tradition of sharing what we’re thankful for. 💞

I’m also thankful for this epic pie! It was as delicious as it looks. 😋

I have some many things to be thankful for as I smell my delicious turkey roasting in the oven. My family who even if we yell, fight, we love, hug, and forgive just as easily. ❤️

I’m thankful for my siblings who are like a warm comfy security blanket when I feel unsure of myself and my life’s direction. They’re always there offering me their love and guidance and I’m so grateful for that. ❤️

  
 I’m thankful for my friends who love me and accept me for who I am. They’ve been wanting me to come and visit for awhile since my move so it’s time to plan a road trip or save up for a plane ticket. 💞

I’m thankful for the beautiful weather we’re having for fall. We’re experiencing a Chinook, where a warm current of air sits above a cold one and temperature dramatically gets warmer. Last week we were + 6 and today we’re +22. 🌞

 

 
I’m thankful for a wonderful blessing I found out about last weekend. I’m going to be in a book anthology! My essay I submitted was accepted and the book will be out by Christmas time. I’m so happy and proud to be a part of this special project with these amazing authors. 😃🎉

  
I’m thankful that I have the ability to write and tell my story. Sometimes the content I do write isn’t always easy to share, but I know with each story I heal a little more each time. ❤️

I’m thankful for a busy week filled with hockey, visits, shopping, and quality time spent with friends and family.😊

I’m thankful for this platform to express my gratitude from with the Ten Things of Thankful family at the helm of my thankful ship. ❤️

I’m thankful for my wonderful husband who saw I needed help as my head and heart took a trip to overwhelmed ville and he threw me anchor and now I’m afloat. Our youngest son suffers from sleep disordered breathing and had to have a polysonogram. It was difficult to see him hooked up to sensor pads and wires. I made everything into an adventure by telling him the computer and magic wires were giving him superhero powers. It was a long night for me but he slept soundly even with all the attachments that encumbered him. I’m so proud of my little superhero and his bravery. ❤️🌟

 

 
I’m thankful for you who stop by to read my words, share my posts, and like to hang out and chat. That’s a whole bucket full of thankfuls I’m grateful to have in my life. 😊❤️

  

I’m thankful

I had been given a beautiful opportunity to guest blog yesterday from the wonderful Brain at http://howmybrainworks.weebly.com. Today I will share it with you. 😊
I’m feeling very thankful for her kindness and generosity as part of her Cherish the moment day. I’m thankful for the love of my family especially when I’m cranky and want to stab something with a plastic fork. 😉 I’m thankful for the friends I’ve made in each town I’ve lived in. I know I can call up any of them if I’m in need of advice, or a place to stay if I come to town. I’m grateful for my ability to pack up my family and set down roots with every job transfer my husband incurs. Most of all I’m thankful that I’m starting to love myself again. I’ve had a long journey back to myself through grief, stress, depression, and anxiety. I have grown up worrying and feeling responsible for events that happened in my life. As a young child feeling guilty over the break up of my parents marriage, it was a very confusing and difficult time as a little girl. Through time, heart to heart chats, and therapy I’ve learned I had played no part in the separation. The bullying I suffered in high school had sent me into an emotional turmoil, thinking somehow I deserved all the debilitating torment. And as I’ve grown and matured I have realized that these events in my life have shaped me into who I am today. I’m so thankful that I had a very special relationship with my beloved parents, for their time on earth. I wish I could’ve kept them here forever, yet I hold them in my heart and cherish my memories. They taught me to love, accept, and be myself with no apologies. When I look in the mirror I see my beloved Mama’s face smiling back at me. And I know I can love myself, even if I want to pull her out the mirror and hug her for one last time. I’m thankful my Dad taught me to be strong, independent, determined, and stubborn. I’ve carried those attributes into my daily life as I fight hard for what I love and believe in, never taking no for an answer. I’m so thankful that God blessed me with a wonderful man and our precious sons. My oldest who makes me laugh with his comedic talent, his excitement for technology, and his brilliant mind. I’m thankful for my youngest and how he sees the world with excitement and wonder, and his deep capacity to love everyone who crosses his path. I’m grateful that even though they suffer with sensory disorders and the anxiety associated with that, they know they are loved and cherished by their parents. I’m so thankful for finally being comfortable enough in my own skin, to share my writing in an online forum. It doesn’t matter how many letter degrees I don’t have after my name. I have a love and passion for the spoken and written word and I’m expressing that through my thoughts. I’m thankful for the blessings bestowed on me on my life journey. All the things I thought were catastrophes at the time, have taught me to be patient, brave, courageous, and forgiving. I believe there are no failures in life, just learning experiences. And as I learn and grow I see myself as a human being not a perfect replica of a Mom, wife, or sibling, or friend. I am imperfectly, creatively, authentically me, a human doing in this world. I am thankful that you popped in to read the ramblings of my mind. And for the beautiful Brain for letting me be a part of her Cherish the Moments. May you enjoy your today’s and tomorrow’s and see your circumstances as blessings towards a better, healthier, happier you.
Happy Thanksgiving to my American readers. ❤️