"I am loved. I am blessed. I have everything I need. I am healthy. I am whole. Happiness is within me. I will find joy today and every day."
This is my daily mantra. Despite the challenges of living through a global pandemic, I am thankful; not because I have hope that my daily mantra will come to pass but because it is already true. Right here, right now, in the present, my daily mantra is a declaration of what already is and not a prayer for what I wish one day would be.
When the present seems dark and grim; having confidence that it won't always be this way gives us hope, but 2020 is different because we don't know what the future will bring. As much as we'd all like to kiss 2020 goodbye, there's no guarantee that the year 2021 will be any better.
Some months ago, I complained to my boyfriend about how Covid-19 had jacked up so many of the plans I had had for this year including not being able to travel. Not only did I miss the ability to do certain things, but I also missed being able to look forward to doing certain things. In the midst of my moaning and groaning for a vacation, he jokingly said, "Go sleep in the guest bedroom." I instantly burst out laughing, but it made me reflect on how blessed I am and have been throughout this pandemic. Many were told to stay put because they're safer at home, but that isn't true for everyone. There are people living with abusive partners; there are children whose only meal came from school lunches; and it's impossible to be safer at home when you're homeless. Many have lost their jobs, but I haven't. More than 250,000 people have died from the coronavirus, but I am alive and well.
We've all faced some level of discomfort, but I am on the low end of the spectrum. I am thankful that I am loved by family and friends. I am thankful for blessings like a warm bed to sleep in every night, good food to eat every day, and a job to telework from each week. I am thankful that while I may not have everything I want, I still have everything I need. I am thankful to have not had the coronavirus thus far and for my good health. I am thankful for being in my right mind and having resources like a therapist to talk to when I feel shaken. I am thankful for the insight that happiness doesn't come from things or people, but it is a choice I can find within myself. I am thankful that even on the days I would dare complain, I can still find joy today and every day.
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