Happy New Year and welcome to 2012. I have had some amazing things occur in these last few months. Special events that have kept me overwhelmed and overjoyed all at the same time. I am having to find new ways to find balance in most areas of my life but loving the chaos at the same time. I have forgotten more than I have remembered the last few months in appointments and deadlines, but it is all good. It will be this way for awhile and I am okay with that. Pretty amazing for a former controlling queen.
What could cause all this chaos and all this peace and acceptance? We have been blessed with a very special addition to our family. A baby boy (10 months old) has been placed in our home for adoption. He comes to us from foster care and has had a less that smooth beginning to life. This is a prayer answered for our family. We have been working towards this addition for quite awhile. We are over the moon in love and in joy.
It is, of course, ironic that I teach and coach for balance, and I now find myself so far out of balance and scrambling to acquire the skills to regain that balance. Multi-tasking is out. Working at home is out. Even managing to get myself breakfast is somedays totally out. I new my life would change. I was ready and open for that change. But, wow, what a change.
The most amazing part, is that all this chaos is not causing me stress. Not long drawn out health impacting stress. (However, my immune system did take a dive from sleep deprivation.) All I need to do is look at my son (OMG, I have a son!) and everything falls into place and perspective. The urgent and important are getting taken care of and the rest….well, we’ll see.
This brings me to gratitude. The peace with my chaos is gratitude. My house went from comfortable chic to baby clutter in three days. I let it go. My time went from mine to his instantly. I let it go. I went from scheduling self-care to scheduling child-care. I let it go. I let IT happen. I have stayed present in the moment of each smile, laugh, cry, drool, crawl, bottle, and game of peek-a-boo. I will figure all the rest out, but each of these moments will not repeat themselves in the same way. They will not wait for me to finish a blog post or mix up my perfect green smoothie or train for the next race.
I have found such gratitude for my husband, mother, friends, and all who have celebrated right along with us. I have such gratitude for each morning smile, each night feeding, each smelly diaper, and even the smeared spoonful of beets. I am so grateful for the abundance of love that surrounds me and is flowing from me at every moment.
I have been a student of gratitude for some time. I have used gratitude to turn around my attitude in many a situation, but the addition of my son has made me hyper aware of all that was already there.
The holiday season is normally a time of reflection on our blessings, our accomplished goals and our less than successful attempts at change or new projects. We spend a few moments around Thanksgiving giving thanks to our family and friends and feeling grateful for our abundance.
The richness of our lives can be intensified with a daily focus on gratitude. By opening our eyes and looking through a new lens, we can see all the amazing blessings that already exist in our lives. My challenge to myself, and to you as well, is to infuse gratitude into the minutia of life. Next time you brush your teeth, make a cup of tea, sweep the floor, or fill the gas tank, be grateful for the journey. Enjoy the house when its dirty as well as clean. Love your day just as much when its full as when its restful. Live the journey. Love your life and it will love you back.
Many blessings!
Cheryl
cheryl I’m very happy for you! congratulations on your new blessing and much hapiness to you and your family this new year!