An Attitude of Gratitude Can Save The Day
The other day, I took my two kids downstairs to fold the laundry.
Malachi was grunting in his little bouncy chair, and Milani was talking my ear off.
Now my daughter doesn't just talk...no...she asks me questions and expects me to respond.
Well, I was feeling particularly anxious at this moment.
I felt my blood pressure go up, my heart rate increase, I began to feel extra warm and impatient.
So I told my daughter, "Mommy is going to say a quiet prayer in her head right now, could you please be quiet for a minute?"
And she respectfully complied to my request.
My prayer went a little something like this:
"Heavenly Father, I'm about to explode. Please help me to calm down. Please help me to CHOOSE patience. Please help me to be GRATEFUL. Please help me to be positive, and THINK positive. Please help me to be nice to my daughter."
All the while, I was taking BIG long breaths.
This prayer helped me get through the remainder of the laundry without snapping at my very talkative, and high energy daughter.
It also helped me to keep my cool when Malachi started screaming his head off- demanding that I pick him up.
This prayer also helped me make it through the rest of the day without being snappy or impatient.
This is a big deal for me when I am having one of my "anxious days".
I believe in prayer.
If you don't believe in prayer, then positive affirmations can be equally as powerful.
"I am patient."
"I am kind."
"I am calm."
etc.
I believe that we have the CHOICE to see our circumstances in a different light, regardless of how we are feeling.
Before my prayer, I was feeling very irritated, impatient, bitter, and negative.
Had I not prayed, I likely would have snapped at my daughter and told her to go away and play with something.
I would have been unkind and hurtful.
But because of this prayer, I instead felt gratitude.
I felt grateful to be exactly where I was.
I felt grateful to be at home, raising my two kids, folding clothes that looked really nice and clean.
I felt grateful for my life.
I felt grateful for the wonderful company that my two children provide.
Malachi- who provides such a tender, pure, unconditional loving spirit.
Milani- who provides such an upbeat, happy, cheerful, giggly, and fun personality.
What great company to be in!
So instead of snapping at my daughter and trying to get her to STOP TALKING for ONCE and let me think in a quiet atmosphere...
I allowed her to talk.
I listened to what she had to say.
I listened to her language carefully to hear the kind of person that she is inside of her head.
I responded and kept the conversation going.
It was a pleasant time!
I believe that the antidote to any unpleasant emotion- especially anxiety- is GRATITUDE!
When you are having a particularly anxious, or unpleasant day- Gratitude can save the day!
Well, I was feeling particularly anxious at this moment.
I felt my blood pressure go up, my heart rate increase, I began to feel extra warm and impatient.
So I told my daughter, "Mommy is going to say a quiet prayer in her head right now, could you please be quiet for a minute?"
And she respectfully complied to my request.
My prayer went a little something like this:
"Heavenly Father, I'm about to explode. Please help me to calm down. Please help me to CHOOSE patience. Please help me to be GRATEFUL. Please help me to be positive, and THINK positive. Please help me to be nice to my daughter."
All the while, I was taking BIG long breaths.
This prayer helped me get through the remainder of the laundry without snapping at my very talkative, and high energy daughter.
It also helped me to keep my cool when Malachi started screaming his head off- demanding that I pick him up.
This prayer also helped me make it through the rest of the day without being snappy or impatient.
This is a big deal for me when I am having one of my "anxious days".
I believe in prayer.
If you don't believe in prayer, then positive affirmations can be equally as powerful.
"I am patient."
"I am kind."
"I am calm."
etc.
I believe that we have the CHOICE to see our circumstances in a different light, regardless of how we are feeling.
Before my prayer, I was feeling very irritated, impatient, bitter, and negative.
Had I not prayed, I likely would have snapped at my daughter and told her to go away and play with something.
I would have been unkind and hurtful.
But because of this prayer, I instead felt gratitude.
I felt grateful to be exactly where I was.
I felt grateful to be at home, raising my two kids, folding clothes that looked really nice and clean.
I felt grateful for my life.
I felt grateful for the wonderful company that my two children provide.
Malachi- who provides such a tender, pure, unconditional loving spirit.
Milani- who provides such an upbeat, happy, cheerful, giggly, and fun personality.
What great company to be in!
So instead of snapping at my daughter and trying to get her to STOP TALKING for ONCE and let me think in a quiet atmosphere...
I allowed her to talk.
I listened to what she had to say.
I listened to her language carefully to hear the kind of person that she is inside of her head.
I responded and kept the conversation going.
It was a pleasant time!
I believe that the antidote to any unpleasant emotion- especially anxiety- is GRATITUDE!
When you are having a particularly anxious, or unpleasant day- Gratitude can save the day!
