Counting My Blessings

 To those of you who took the time to do research and get back to me about my health issue that I mentioned on my previous blog, Thank you! I do intend to make another appointment with the doctor before year's end, one that I will, hopefully be able to honor. As some of you may know, I'm so into new beginnings. I love the start of a new month as I have minimum of 30 days to tackle a goal. October was good to me, overall. I'm thankful for that. I've just jotted down my November goals, they're also very similar to what I would've wished / hope for beginning of 2021 in some ways. In that, the end of 2021 is around the corner. Whatever I may have wanted to resolve this year, that I may not have, yet, I had better get to in the next 61 days. Having said that, I also have just updated my gratitude journal. It was when I was writing today's date that I had an Aha! Moment! in 2014, 7 years ago (you're welcome for the Math), I was living in my studio in Las Vegas when I started Gratitude journaling. It was part of a desperate attempt at changing my life.

I felt like I was in a funk. I had a talk with one of my sisters. I told her I was willing to try anything. We brainstormed on several ideas. Some, you may find absurd. Because I know the bottom I had reached, I consider them all valid as heck! After that conversation, I went online and typed a question. Long Story short, few days later, I started my first Gratitude Journal. I had nothing to lose and, apparently, plenty to be grateful for. Ten things everyday. I didn't miss a day, in the beginning. Sometimes, I would do more than ten. As time went on, over the past seven years, I would miss days. I would later catch up, going over my previous days and still doing ten for that day. I am very big on gratitude in general. Back in the day, when I was much younger, I remember reading off of a magazine that you should always say thank you like you mean it. They went on to say that, even thank people more than you think you should. Or something to that effect. I liked that and started practicing it. I say all this to say, even on days that I did not jot down on my notepad, I always make it a point to find things to be grateful for and feel the gratitude. Sometimes, I would write my ten list on the notepad in my phone, etc. It's important to try and look for things that are going right in our lives as we don't even have to look for the things that aren't. It's part of us unlearning what we know an relearning who we wanna be. The latter being a lifelong process. Thankfully! Imagine if we would finish this assignment. Then what? 

Currently, I am going through a transition phase that I am excited about. Excited because I'm using what I have learned to direct the trajectory of my life where I want. I've a good feeling about the outcome. It's something I knew I would have to do at some point, but I'd been putting it off. Well, the universe / life, has pushed the fast forward button for me. Instead of staying in my comfort zone, I decided to use this opportunity to stop procrastinating. Here goes it! I will link back to this blog when these things have manifested. 

I won't be long as I am currently in the midst of something but I had to stop by and memorialize my 7 year Gratitude Journal Anniversary. 

How has my life changed since then? 

* First of all, have you read my blog? I've kept it honest and open, for the most part. If ever I do get to writing a book someday, I will reveal the details that are pay per view. But you do get the gist here. If the book doesn't come, you're welcome for what you have learned here. Thanks for tuning in. 

* Secondly, I now have a go to thing that I know hasn't failed me. I know that if I find myself in a funk, I can get myself out of it by looking for the light out of the dark tunnel I think I'm in. Has it been easier to do so in the last 7 years? Yes! And No. I have enjoyed checking how long it takes me to go from bad mood to feeling OK, to feeling awesome and excited about life. 

* Thirdly, Something about immersing myself in gratitude gives out immediate results sometimes. There have been times that I would get a call, text, or whatever in the middle of journaling. It would be an answer to an ask. It could be a gig, when I was #ActorLife - ing, or anything that I had been needing a solution to.

* 4th - Just because I know what works for me, doesn't mean I always apply it. Those are the times that I will look back to and kick myself. Just a little! For no application of the tools that I have. Work in progress, right? Acknowledging what you could have done better is one of the steps towards solution.

* 5th My life would be so much easier if I didn't have to deal with other people's energies. I have to incorporate other people as part of my growth. Interacting with them helps me see parts of me that still need work. I've come a long way and have just as long to go.

I'm grateful for your presence in my life because even though I blog as a commitment I made to myself more than 10 years ago, I know that you're out there. Knowing that you will read these entries as soon as I put them out there (Thanks Google for the stats), holds me accountable. Thanks for the feedback and the typo submissions. I love you for your honesty and not being afraid to correct me.

Love ya! Mean it!

youtube.com/babalwabrook #TruckerBrook @BabalwaBrook on Instagram

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