This is not medical advice, as I am not a medical practitioner. This is simply my experience, please do your own research.
Today I spent a few hours at Strawberry Hot springs in Steamboat, CO. I went by myself, which is something I wouldn't usually do, but Neely got a tattoo two weeks ago and I thought she was good to go, but apparently three weeks would be better to prevent issues. Anyways, our Airbnb was non-refundable so we went ahead and came up.
Apparently you need a 4x4 vehicle or AWD and snow tires to get to the hot springs this time of year, so I booked a shuttle service. The driver was talking about all sorts of things along the way, but one thing he mentioned was the Aspen trees. We see hundreds (maybe thousands) of individual trees, but they all share the same root system, they are all connected to one another.
While soaking in the hot springs there were a few Aspen trees in view (you can see a few in the photo-yeah, I know, I'm awesome at selfies) and I was thinking about what the driver had said. We as humans are individuals, yet we are interconnected with those around us...our community...or at least I hope we all have that. Unfortunately, that isn't always the case. Not everyone is surrounded by people who love them, care for them and are ready to support them in whatever life brings.
No matter where we are in life, whether things are going great, all the way to something tragic happening, we need to have a strong community to share life with. It make us better, it holds us accountable, it gives us an opportunity to get involved in others lives and give of ourselves in ways we couldn't otherwise do.
I have been trying to actively practice gratitude daily the past year, science has shown that it boosts dopamine and seratonin which are neurotransmitters that boost feelings of happiness, pleasure and a sense of well-being and also oxytocin, a hormone, that deepens relationships but also expands our blood vessels resulting in decreased blood pressure. A regular gratitude practice has also been shown to help with sleep, better and longer, both of which sound good to me!
Another benefit, grateful people tend to be more resilient mentally. So, when life sends you lemons, you'll be better at making lemonade;)
Looking back over this past year or so, I believe that intentionally taking the time to be thankful has helped me keep my thinking in check, to stay positive and happy through this.
I had someone that I had just met, who was very well intentioned, tell me I was putting on a show for everyone and I didn't need to do that. But, it truly isn't a show, it's not always sunshine and roses. Some days I have to fight much harder to stay positive, but most days it isn't a challenge anymore. Waking up each day and intentionally saying, "Thank you for..."
gets your mind right for the day, it sets you on the right path for the day, the path of positivity. There is ALWAYS something good in your life no matter what is going on in you or around you. Being actively grateful helps you to identify these good things even in tough times, it makes you more aware of the good than the bad.
If you give your attention and focus to the negative, it will prevail. But the same works for the positive! Focusing on the positive things and what you want out of life will bring more positive things!
Today, I am grateful for my community, because I don't think I would have faired nearly as well if I was trying to do it on my own. Through the past year and a half I have realized how absolutely amazing my tribe is. My husband supports me in whatever decisions I make with treatment, or hairbrained ideas I have for a business...or to start a blog, lol. So many family members and friends have been there and supported me in pretty much every way possible. That is what friendship and community is about, helping each other out in the little things...and occasionally the big things too, celebrating successes', mourning losses, and just doing life.
My tribe is also extremely positive, which is amazing. When I first received the diagnosis my husband and I decided immediately that we were going to speak positive, life giving words, no negativity. This was expressed to our friends and family and 98% of them jumped on board with us. We all need to be surrounded by positivity, no stinkin' thinkin'.
I hear stories about people who are battling an illness alone, or their spouse leaving them in the middle of chemo, or how there spouse or friends literally cry all the time and are extremely fearful, and I literally can not imagine. I can't imagine walking through the last few years alone, or with people who weren't on board with being positive. I am forever grateful to my people. We were not designed to live this life alone. We were created for relationship.
If you don't have that in your life, I would encourage you to start with a daily gratitude practice. Grateful people are happier people, happy people attract friends (and other happy people), be a good friend and you'll have good friends. If you don't have good friends and a community, start to change your environment. Changing where you hangout, who you hang out with, or sometimes even making a move can change the course of your life. Don't be afraid of change.
One beautiful thing about this life, is we are free to change. It may not be easy, it may actually be really freaking hard. But the best things in life aren't usually easy. Part of what makes them so amazing, is that they are really hard, and you get to conquer it. And once you've conquered, you realize you can do it again.
Join a place of worship and get involved, join a CrossFit box, sign up for a class to learn something new that lasts a few months so you have time to get to know some of your classmates (photography, pottery, art, painting, whatever you're interested in!), volunteer, get a side gig and work a few shifts a week, there are all sorts of ways to start meeting new people, if your workplace is toxic-find a new job! Just be sure you put yourself in an environment where you want to be like the people there.
And no, I'm not joking about joining a CrossFit box, the caliber of people that do CrossFit is on another level. I don't know what it is about CrossFit that attracts awesome people, but as a general rule, it does. I have lifelong friends that I met through CrossFit, amazing people, amazing friends, and you get to do something hard and conquer it together. I am definitely a better person because of the friends that I have made there.
If you don't have community, go find it, or create it. Start inviting a few people over for a game night every few weeks, tell them to bring a friend. Or have a carry in dinner, eating together is soothing to the soul, and more so I think if you do it in someone's home.
Find a buddy and you can hold each other accountable, make a point to text every morning ( or whatever works for you) one thing you are grateful for.
What are you grateful for today? Comment below!!
And, if you're ever in the area, go check out Strawberry Hot Springs, it's nestled in a valley and absolutely beautiful!
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