1. Doing a gratitude list even when it’s like feeling around in the dark
2. Knowing what triggers me (even if the knowledge doesn’t stop the trigger from happening)
3. Support systems, even when it feels like I’m just bothering them
4. The most supportive and uplifting card coming in the mail, in the midst of the most soul-crushing day. It was like being at the end of my rope and discovering someone gave me just enough to tie a knot and hold on.
5. Knowing that sometimes, it’s okay to let go of the rope. Who needs to climb all those ropes, anyway?
6. Taking one little step towards changing a difficult situation
7. The way this gratitude list is already making me feel a little less like a failure
8. Information and resources online for everything we need
9. Asking the Universe for what I need and getting nibbles on my line
10. “Remember, to acknowledge our needs is not to be demanding. All human needs are the expression of lifes energy flowing through us. Needs are the very thing that connect us to life itself. When we become aware of our needs and the needs of others and long to meet those needs, we are honoring the sacredness of life.” – Judith Hanson Lasater, What We Say Matters (Thanks to Gwen Bell’s Letter.ly for this quote.)
Thank you for posting such an honest and human list — it is especially wonderful that even the process of writing the list makes things a little better. Life is not all sunshine and flowers, and it is on these cloudy, dark days where sometimes we do our most important development. I admire your boldness, even with the tough times. You are remarkable.