Last week we talked about movement as a mood lifter.
This week? Gratitude.
I know, I know - you've heard this before. Gratitude journals. Thankful lists. It can feel cliché.
But here's why it actually works: Gratitude shifts your perspective.
Even on the Hardest DaysWhen you're exhausted, overwhelmed, and everything feels heavy - it's easy to only see what's wrong.
The behaviors. The mess. The stress. The struggle.
But even on the hardest days, there are things we can be grateful for.
Not because we're minimizing the hard stuff. Not because we're pretending everything is fine.
But because noticing what's good - even small things - helps bring perspective to your life and your struggles.
Try This Right NowBefore you keep reading, pause.
Name 5 things you're grateful for. Right now. In your head.
They can be big or small:

• Your coffee this morning
  
• A moment of quiet
  
• Your child's laugh
  
• A roof over your head
  
• A friend who gets it
  

Go ahead. I'll wait.
...
Did you do it?
Notice anything? Even just a tiny shift in how you feel?
The truth is: Gratitude doesn't erase the hard stuff. But it reminds you that the hard stuff isn't the ONLY stuff.
Make It a Daily PracticeYou don't need a fancy journal. You don't need perfect conditions.
Just name 5 things each day.
Maybe:

• Right when you wake up
  
• During your morning coffee
  
• Before bed
  
• While driving (out loud!)
  
• With your kids at dinner
  

5 things. Every day.
Some days it'll feel easy. Some days you'll struggle to find five. Do it anyway.
The practice of looking for good changes how you see your life.
This week's challenge:
Name 5 things you're grateful for every day this week.
Then hit reply and tell me: What was one thing that surprised you? What showed up on your gratitude list that you hadn't expected?
I'd love to hear. 💚
Dana

​“You know what it's like having five kids? Imagine you're drowning. And someone hands you a baby.”  -- Jim Gaffigan
​
Can you relate? Maybe not with having 5 kids, but do you feel at times you’re barely keeping your head above water when it comes to this parenting thing? Yesterday was “Swim a Lap Day”. All of my children have been on the swim team, and I’ve seen kids swim hundreds of laps over and over and over. One night at practice, a little guy was learning to swim on his back. The coach kept telling him, “Point your feet!” He pointed them straight up to the ceiling, smiled, and hardly moved.

The fall brings some fun and also busy days and weeks for families. What are your kids involved in; soccer, football, dance, gymnastics, youth group, band practices, swim team, volleyball or something else? Each activity has great opportunities for our kids, but they also come with a cost on the family's time and energy. If you are a parent who's running kids to activities, making meals, scheduling appointments and keeping up with all the school stuff like permission slips, lunch money, conferences etc, then YOU have a lot on your plate. You are taking care of your family and lots of details to keep things running smooth, so let's talk about WHO's taking care of you.
Hopefully you have great support in your life. People who take the time to take care of you and "fill your cup." But a lot of parents are feeling like they don't have a great support system. And whether or not you have excellent support, self-care is incredibly important for parents who want to be at their best for themselves and their families.
Support and self-care are two of the 10 steps to navigate parenting challenges that I write about in my book Parenting Marathon. There is a lot of practical thoughts and easy next steps for you in the book but I'll leave you with one first step here.
Start with small chunks of time. Waiting for self-care until you can carve out a day or weekend away isn't enough. Today set aside 10 minutes for yourself to do something that is relaxing, brings you joy or fills your cup. Caution: Don't use this 10 minutes to clear out your email, answer text messages or schedule that dentist appointment. This 10 minutes is a self-care pause. Need ideas on what you would enjoy doing in those 10 minutes? I have a whole list in the free resources page shared in the book. Maybe it's listening to music, enjoying the quiet, prayer or meditation, watching the birds, drawing... you get to decide. Set a timer maybe and protect that little chunk of time.