Visit on Instagram

On Monday, I opened up about some of the mixed emotions I was battling with turning 37 yesterday. And now today, the day after my birthday, I am going to explain why I am actually grateful for these struggles and grateful for so much in my life in general. I think this is something we often forget is possible – to both be in a place where we are questioning some things and dealing with some tough emotions, while also feeling incredibly grateful for what we do have. It’s also possible to feel down at times, but still, in general, feel happy and be a happy person. Struggle does not need to mean an absence of joy. 
In fact, this is one of the things I am grateful for about being at this stage in life. If you haven’t read my post on “The Most Unfortunate Privilege” from January 29th – I suggest you do. In short, it was a term I coined in the process of making sense of the experience of losing my mom. My theory is that people who experience significant loss or tragedy have a completely different perspective on life – a perspective that is actually a privilege – as you value time, people, relationships, yourself, and everything just differently. You also take very little for granted. However, it’s unfortunate what one must go through to gain such a perspective. 
Lately it has occurred to me that as we all go through life, and experience the many twists, turns, challenges, joys, up and downs it inevitably presents with each passing year, we all gain a bit more of this beautiful perspective with our gained experience – and for this, I fully embrace being in my late thirties. I am grateful for the perspective I have on life, the growing strength of the relationship I have with myself, the deep comfort I have living in my own skin, truly knowing what I value and who matters to me, the compassion I have for others, and a general wisdom I have gained through the many experiences I have been through in these 37 years. I know myself, I know what’s important to me, there is very little I take for granted, and I know that, in the end, everything always works out – and for that, I am grateful... (Part 2 continued in comments below 👇🏻) -
📸 @chrisfanningphoto M/U @paintedbyfrankie

On Monday, I opened up about some of the mixed emotions I was battling with turning 37 yesterday. And now today, the day after my birthday, I am going to explain why I am actually grateful for these struggles and grateful for so much in my life in general. I think this is something we often forget is possible – to both be in a place where we are questioning some things and dealing with some tough emotions, while also feeling incredibly grateful for what we do have. It’s also possible to feel down at times, but still, in general, feel happy and be a happy person. Struggle does not need to mean an absence of joy. In fact, this is one of the things I am grateful for about being at this stage in life. If you haven’t read my post on “The Most Unfortunate Privilege” from January 29th – I suggest you do. In short, it was a term I coined in the process of making sense of the experience of losing my mom. My theory is that people who experience significant loss or tragedy have a completely different perspective on life – a perspective that is actually a privilege – as you value time, people, relationships, yourself, and everything just differently. You also take very little for granted. However, it’s unfortunate what one must go through to gain such a perspective. Lately it has occurred to me that as we all go through life, and experience the many twists, turns, challenges, joys, up and downs it inevitably presents with each passing year, we all gain a bit more of this beautiful perspective with our gained experience – and for this, I fully embrace being in my late thirties. I am grateful for the perspective I have on life, the growing strength of the relationship I have with myself, the deep comfort I have living in my own skin, truly knowing what I value and who matters to me, the compassion I have for others, and a general wisdom I have gained through the many experiences I have been through in these 37 years. I know myself, I know what’s important to me, there is very little I take for granted, and I know that, in the end, everything always works out – and for that, I am grateful... (Part 2 continued in comments below 👇🏻) - 📸 @chrisfanningphoto M/U @paintedbyfrankie

#

Instagram Follow Adder