Why I Love Gratitude (And You Should, Too!)

What does being grateful mean to you?

To me it means being present; it means being able to be alive in the moment and honestly count my blessings. Expressing gratitude gives me a feeling that lifts me and I feel that gratefulness has a high vibrational frequency that feeds your soul. 

Many of my patients and friends know about how I was lead to acupuncture and how I found this happiness that I now hold. And for those of you who don’t, let me share. About a decade ago I was in a marriage that was full of disharmony. There was fighting and discontent, and a new baby that came into the world at only 29 weeks. It was a difficult time. And it got more difficult when my son at 15 months old became seriously ill. My ex husband had left us, we lived in a house I couldn't afford, and my small baby was in the ICU. My son recovered fully after 3 months in the ICU and a year of recovery at home; during this time I quit my job, lost my house, and started a new path in life. 

My son Casey at 4 years old

Thankfully I have the most wonderful family; my sister let us live with her rent free and they all helped with my son. I am full of gratitude for the support they offered and because gratitude is reciprocal I truly believe that all their love and support bonded our family in ways I can't express in words.

During those years I found myself lost and honestly angry with God for taking away the "life" I thought I was building. It took many years for me to release that anger and transform it into gratitude. With my families support I finished credits at Pima Community College that I needed to get into acupuncture school and started that journey. While trying to decide what to do with my life to support myself and my son, I threw my hands up in the air and prayed for God to show me what I was supposed to do. I was sitting in front of the computer and hoped that God would guide my search; I was Google'd to the acupuncture school. This time I decided to listen and made my appointment to check the school out. The very second my feet hit the pavement at the school the interview day, I knew with every fiber in me that this was the path for me.

School was half about learning Chinese medicine and half about healing myself in order to best help others to heal. It was grueling and intense, and I often wondered if I would have the strength to get through it. I am so incredibly grateful for the strength that I was granted to survive and graduate. I must confess that the anger I held stayed with me even after school. It wasn't until I was telling my story to a patient who said "you seem very angry about this past, but it all led you here", that I realized it was time to change inside.

I started thinking about all the things that I feel grateful for.... and do you know what? There's so many things!!! 

• My families love and support 

• My precious son and his life

• My freedom from a crappy marriage

• An amazing career that allows me to help others love their lives

• A beautiful clinic

• And so many more things

I can break down my gratitude to things as small as being present for the smell of a fresh pot of coffee brewing in the house I can now afford where there is love and happiness. I can go big and think how much gratitude I have that we have such a beautiful Earth to live on and the vast possibilities for humankind to experience life fully. 

Now into my fourth year of private practice, it brings me to tears when I think how grateful I am for my life. The clinic that I created now employees some of my favorite people and helps so many in the community on several different levels; it has grown past me and now belongs to those that know us. This clinic has created a relationship with my sister (who is our magnificent practice manager) that fills me with joy. It brought Danube into our lives; and she is one of the best people I've ever met. Chinese medicine has allowed me to help my son heal more and carry less baggage with him through life. And to top it all off, this clinic (and some praying) brought a man into my life that makes my heart skip a beat and he has amazing children that I love. The gratitude I hold for this clinic which has helped heal me and so many others is simply magical.

When I found myself in the middle of turmoil and discontentment it was extremely difficult to feel grateful. At one point when my son was ill, I even thought about killing myself if he died. Being low is such a heavy burden, it can be hard to see the light. Through love and prayer I was able to persevere. And now as I look back I am thankful for this past decade, it allows me to be truly grateful for the blessings I hold and wish such happiness upon others.

Casey and I at Disneyland having a blast!

If you find yourself in the middle of a black hole, I hope my story will inspire you that life can be better. It can be amazing! 

Dig deep and think of something small or something big that you can express gratitude for... it'll change your life for the best. 

Try it now... what are you grateful for? Share with us...

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