So the cold weather is here!
I for one am super excited about it. Fall is my favorite time of the year. Maybe it’s all the holidays that are right around the corner, or the leaves changing and falling to the ground. In my opinion, this is a time to reflect on how we live our lives. A time to dwell on what is going on around us.
It is the season of thanksgiving after all. What better way to make the best of the holiday season than by taking a time out and reflecting on the good in your life, right? However, life for all of its wonderfulness has a way of getting people down this time of year. It used to be that way for me too.
My birthday is this month and I am reminded of something I did for years around this time. For context I will say that I used to struggle badly with depression. So, some people would encourage me to start journaling but it usually just ended up hurting me. I had a habit, a bad one might I add, that I started. Each year, I would write about how much my depression had impacted me. Sometimes, it would give me a better mindset and at other times it would leave me even more down and depressed than I had been before I started. It was this way for a few years straight. I thought I would never be happy, never find a moment of relief.
Now, I look around and I see the good in things. So much has changed for me. Not everything in life is perfect but not all of it is bad either. I am able to see the joy and happiness in the midst of everything. There are people in my life who are striving to make their lives better and to live life on their terms, and I am encouraged. So gratefully, as I reflect back on the last few years I see that much has changed for me. I graduated college and started a job in a completely different field than what I had expected. My sweet family has increased in size. I have close friends to share my life with. I am in love and I am happy with my life. I wake up and I want to be mentally present for every moment that I live. I know that I will always have an internal struggle with depression, but now that I have seen both sides I know I can beat it every time. For this reason and for everyone in my life right now, I am thankful.
I hope this month has shown us all that life is fluid and always changing. Always keep your head up so you don’t miss the good that is mixed in with the bad.
Xo
