New Years Revolutions – Day 4. Why January is a reason to be cheerful

Today Michelle from Mummy From the Heart joins us for New Years Revolutions Week on The Netmums Blog to tell us about how counting your blessings can make all the difference to those New Year blues…

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Image Right

It is very easy to get a case of the January Blues, or so I am told by many, many friends but I am grateful to say it is not something I suffer with.  I say January is a joyful month.  Yes the weather can be really cold and I have to be honest, I hate the snow but I do love to cuddle up inside with the family and watch a good movie with the fire on.

With the adrenaline rush that is Christmas over and the New Year’s party all finished it is easy to wonder when the next exciting time will be, but for me I love to get back into routine.  Christmas is fun while it is here but it is not real, not everyday life.  I love my unremarkable life, looking forward to the simple things like a walk along the river, a date night to the cinema or playing a board game with the kids.

Now don’t get me wrong I do not have everything sorted, there are issues in my life, weight, lack of time, testing children and not enough money but what I do have is a thankful heart.  You can call me Pollyanna, as I choose to be happy with my lot in life.  When something bad happens I can wallow in it and allow it to absorb me or I can blog it, get the hurt out there and move on, remembering how blessed I am. For me there really is no thought required, I know which option I prefer.

I believe that every day we have a choice; we can choose to be survivors and to be happy with our lot in life.  Half of the secret of living a happy life is to want what you already have and to not forever be seeking more – more things, more friends, to be liked more, to be thinner, to be richer – you get the picture? Endless seeking never brings joy and contentment, just a big gap inside.

Since I started to blog regularly back in early 2009 I have had a steady series of posts around being grateful.  Initially these posts were called Grace in small things and then last January I launched a weekly blog link-up called Reasons to be Cheerful. Each Thursday, myself and lots of other bloggers take a few minutes to think about what has made us cheerful that week.  Even when life is hard and things seem upside down there is always a ray of hope.  Many tell me that #R2BC (as it is affectionately known) has made a difference in their life when they thought the world was against them.

Go on try it…..  take 5 minutes now and think about at least 3 things that make your life richer.  What are you blessed with?  When your thoughts instantly hit on something negative, which they can, turn it around and find the positive in there. It can be a real challenge, but hey we are parents, we are used to it being tough! Here is an example from me – on a bad day when the kids are playing up and fighting I can easily wonder why I have the worst behaved kids in the world ever (dramatic, who me?) but when I think sensibly and with a grateful heart I realise that I love spirited kids.  A quiet child with no thirst for learning and passion for life would just not suit me, so I have the perfect children for me.

Here are my 3 reasons to be cheerful right now –

1. I have had 52 weeks of being grateful in 2011.  My weekly meme/ link up has hit its first anniversary and on 19^th January there will be a giveaway of a massive bundle of superb prizes on my blog.  Don’t forget to write your #R2BC post and link up that week for a chance to win superb prizes.
2. The kids are back at school!  I know I sound mean but as I said, I do like routine and a chance to get my house back into order.
3. I feel positive for 2012.  I need to get my body in shape and to change my mind-set towards food.  At the moment I feel I can do this and for that I am so grateful.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

So what are you waiting for? Think about your reasons to be cheerful write a blog post and join in at Reasons to be Cheerful. If you’re not a blogger then add them to the Reasons to be cheerful Netmums Coffeehouse Thread where members share their reasons to be cheerful and life’s simple pleasures.