Guest Blogger Post on Gratitude

Today I’m excited to share a guest post from blogger Tinisha Tosoni of Tyme with T. Her guest post topic is gratitude and I hope you enjoy reading her post as much as I did!

Guest Blogger Post on Gratitude by Tyme with T’s Tinisha Tosoni

Hi All – I am so excited to have been provided the opportunity to guest post on Living with Joy! I just launched my blog about 8 weeks ago, am truly living my best life and becoming more than the mother, wife, and woman that I once was. You can check out my blog at www.tymewitht.com and follow me (Tyme with T) on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. 

If you get to know me or maybe upon meeting me, you will find that I am happy. A LOT. MORE OFTEN THAN NOT. MOSTLY ALL THE TIME.

I cannot tell a lie, there are times where I have my days; where I feel overwhelmed, cranky and like there is just not enough time in the day. When I start to feel like that, I know I need to adjust those feelings (rather quickly) because I cannot change why I am overwhelmed: I’m a mom. I have a 9-5 job I have an empire I am trying to build. Chores which need to be done. Spring sports are starting. And there’s a legitimate to-do list in my planner that is the length of my body. This is LIFE. So, what is a girl to do?

I look at what is causing me to feel that way; maybe I am not managing my time appropriately, maybe I am not sleeping enough, maybe I am overcommitted. I then focus on what is important, what are my priorities and then redirect my path accordingly.

Most importantly, I have been practicing gratitude.

When you are going through a difficult event or situation in your life, sometimes you think you will never get over or through it. It feels as though you are at the lows of lows and there is no light at the end of the tunnel. You aren’t happy and aren’t even sure what you can do to become happy again. You are just a shell … just “being”. We don’t have to live like this though! Through the practice of gratitude you can learn that happiness (in most situations) is a choice, a decision that we make based on the conversations which we have with ourselves.

There are three reasons why I practice the quality of being thankful:

1. A feeling of consistent blessings: There are people who have it bad, awful, downright horrendous – these people are sold into modern slavery, are assaulted at the hands of people whom they trust, are unsure of when their next meal may be. We have all been there: Your car breaks down and you start cursing the world and complaining about how your significant other is going to have to drive you to work for the next few days and it is going to cost $1,000.00 to fix. Remember though, at least you have a car, at least you have $1,000.00 to fix it and at least you have a significant other to drive you to work.

Thinking like this when situations occur make me realize how blessed I am and in turn change my outlook on the situation.

2. Happiness is found in things that seem small compared to others: I find an open parking spot next to the door at the grocery store during a rainstorm and you would think I have won the lottery. A drive down to the beach on a gorgeous day will have me bouncing in the seat, anxious to get there. An iced coffee made right and shaken just so is guaranteed to have my toes curling and eyes rolling. An opportunity to work with an organization that is doing phenomenal work (unfortunately mostly unknown to the masses) for young women who have been victims of human trafficking, this has brought tears of joy to my eyes.

I am so excited about so much because I have a wonderful life, a beautiful life and the fact that I have eyes to read, a mouth to speak, hands to type and ears to listen … THAT IS A MIRACLE.

How can I not be happy? How can I not find joy in the small things which happen in life? Remembering and enjoying these small wins, that makes life even sweeter.

3. Reduce the experience of suffering: Sometimes there are situations that are very hard to accept. When we learn that someone we care about is sick, when our child is in and out of the specialist’s office and we are unable to determine what is wrong or when we love someone who does not love us in return. I have experienced all of these, as I am sure most have. We can wallow in despair, we can have a party of pity, we can feel badly; however, we cannot LIVE there. We cannot stay there forever. We must confront the issue, determine a course of action and ACCEPT that the situation is what it is. Acceptance does not make the situation any easier, however, it does allow us to move forward without denial. It allows us to heal our mind because we know the situation to be true and now we must confront it.

I have gone through some difficult times in my life and as of late, I was able to pull myself out of despair. I have said time and time again – we are all entitled to feel funky, crabby, cranky, miserable and hell, we all deserve to watch a Rom-Com with Cameroon Diaz and devour a tub of EDDYS.

But for me, I allow myself an allotted time based on the situation and then I must move on, I must fight, I must stand on legs which I thought to be weak. Because I will not succumb, I will not waive the white flag and I want to continue living my best life.

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