by Beth
After Saturday’s 10 mile run, I decided to treat myself to a manicure and pedicure. There is this place I’ve been going for a few months now that does a great job for $25 for both, and I was excited when they had an appointment available with my favorite technician, Michelle. Even though I have tons of magazine subscriptions, I rarely make the time to read them at home, so decided to bring the newest issue of Health Magazine with me with Jillian Michaels on the cover.
Once I settled into the chair to get my pedicure, I dove into the magazine and found one article in particular that struck me called “#1 Happiness Trick”.
It said to write down five things you’re grateful for once a week, every week. People who did that activity in a study felt happier, healthier, and exercised more after 9 weeks, and writing down what they were grateful for made them focus more on the blessings and less on the shortcomings in their life. I made a mental note to write about it on here because I think it would be a good activity for me to do each week for at least a little while, but then backburnered it once my pedi was over.
Fast forward to Monday, and I woke up with my middle finger being a little sore around the cuticle. I didn’t think too much of it, but then when I woke up in the night yesterday from it throbbing, I realized something wasn’t quite right. I slathered it with Neosporin, went back to sleep, and then woke up to a swollen and very sensitive middle finger yesterday morning. It felt pretty silly making such a big deal of it since it was just a finger, but as the day went on, it was getting worse and worse.
It doesn’t look too bad in the photo, but I promise you, it was very painful.
Sorry for over sharing in advance, but towards the end of the day, it was throbbing so bad and felt like it was burring, and then when gross stuff started coming out of it, I knew I needed to see a doctor. I ended up going to Urgent Care, and as I was sitting in the room waiting patiently to see a doctor and feeling pretty annoyed that I got an infection from the mani/pedi, my mind went back to the article that I was reading while the transaction was taking place.
Rather than focusing on the fact that I was waiting to see the doc, I decided to take some time to think about what I’m grateful for. When all was said and done, I was sent home from the doctor with antibiotics and assurance that my finger would stay attached to my body. I also was sent home with this list of things for which I’m grateful fresh on my mind, in no particular order:
- My health. I never take it for granted anymore and am humbled every time my body does something amazing for me, like carries me 10 miles.
- My family. I am very close with my immediate family, and I don’t know what I’d do without my sisters and my parents. It’s funny because growing up, I was never THAT close with my aunts/uncles/cousins, so I didn’t quite have my head around what a close relation that was. Now that both of my sisters have kids and I am their aunt, and one day my kids will be their cousins, I can’t imagine not seeing them as much as I can and having them be such a major part of my life.
- My career. Every job has its pros and cons, but I am very lucky to have a mostly-pro list for mine. I work with really awesome people that I actually enjoy being around, have the opportunity to do a lot and really own the program that I manage, and get a steady paycheck twice a month. I well aware that a lot of people don’t have all those luxuries.
- Weight Watchers. I loooooove having not just the program itself to follow, but having the opportunity to be involved in it with it on so many different levels through this blog and through Leading the meetings. I had my 5th week of my Tuesday morning meeting, and each week I am loving it more and more. Starting the week after next, I’m taking on a second meeting Monday evenings, and I feel so grateful to be able to pay forward everything that WW has given me considering how much it changed my life for the better.
- My friends. I know this sounds like the most cliche thing ever, but I really do have the best friends in the world. They’ve been by my side through thick and thin (literally) and have been there at the drop any time I’ve needed anything. When I ended up moving into DC, I moved within just a few blocks of two of my best girlfriends and I feel so lucky to be so close to them and to have them in my life.
Please share one thing (or more) that you’re grateful for today!
