Gatsby knows alllll about the art of being happy.
Sunday night, my car wouldn't start.
Normally, that wouldn't be a big deal. Frustrating, sure, but not a big deal.
Sunday night, however, it was a big deal.
The past month (two months?) feel like they've been full of one thing after another. Car issues and health issues and bill issues and house issues and all of those other issues that come with being an adult.
Little problem, little problem, big problem, little problem, little problem, slightly bigger problem..all stacked on top of each other again and again, making a lopsided jenga full of frustration that you can only stare at and scratch your head, wondering how to make your next move without it all falling down.
For me, my car not starting was it. I tried not to cry while someone helped Chris jump my car, but once we started driving it around, it was game over. I cried and cried and cried, and wanted to scream, but just kept crying instead.
"Chels, it's not a big deal. It's fine."
But I kept crying anyway. Because it was a big deal. It felt like nothing was going right, and at some point that just becomes a big deal.
"You're the positive one. If the roles were reversed, you would tell me that we have so much to be thankful for."
Do those words feel like sandpaper when I say them to you? I wondered. Because he was right, that's exactly what I'd say. But that wasn't what I wanted to say right now, and it most certainly wasn't what I wanted to hear.
The next morning, I begrudgingly sat down to journal (because who really wants to journal when they're having a bad day/week/month? No one) and, like every other Monday, made a list of things I'm thankful for.
And magically, things weren't so bad. With each thing I added to my list, the circumstances I was so frustrated over seemed smaller and smaller.
So what that my car isn't working right, or that some frustrating things are going on. In the grand scheme of things, what does it matter? I have the best husband ever, an amazing place to live, and SO much to be thankful for. Who has time to be mad at circumstances when it's Thanksgiving? It's time to celebrate, not cry.
A short fifteen minutes later, I was immensely happier and any "problems" seemed immensely smaller. Not because anything changed, but because what I focused on changed.
And this morning, I didn't wake up thinking about car troubles. I woke up thinking about Thanksgiving and friends and Christmas and family.
Taking the time to remember all you have to be thankful for can truly change everything.
Why do you think thankfulness is important?
