Grateful for our choices.

Yesterday was the 93rd anniversary of women gaining the right to vote in the United States. June 4, 1919... it doesn't seem like that terribly long ago, does it?

I've been thinking about the idea of women lately, and how far we've come in such a short time. And I'm grateful. 

I'm a twenty-something young woman who has adopted all of the hobbies of my grandmother. I love to quilt, sew, and crochet. Gardening is more popular than it's ever been, people are cooking from scratch and making their own cleaning products. So many of us are embracing the ways of our grandmothers -- but because we want to, not because we have to.

That's why I'm so grateful. I'm grateful that women in our country have the opportunity to make choices. I'm grateful that my friend Biz can choose to stay at home with her sweet baby girl, not because society tells her she has to, but because it's what she and her husband decided was best for their family. I'm grateful that other friends are able to make the choice to work to support their families, because it's what they have decided is best for them. 

Is all of the mommy war / judging each other over? Not by a long shot. But hopefully we're each doing our part to support each other as women and stop the nastiness. Lord knows that women face enough difficulty in this world already without us adding onto that for each other.

So as tonight, I sit on my couch, write a blog post, think about heading to my job tomorrow that adds important financial support to our family, talk to my husband about when the right time for us to start a family is, water our garden, and crochet a blanket, I'm grateful. Grateful to the women who fought for my right to vote 93 years ago, and to make all of these choices today. Thanks, ladies. Job well done.

So.... life is crazy.

I don't know what it is about 2012, but I think it's totally out of control. And not just for me -- it seems to be that way for most people. It's as if the high energy first few weeks of the year just never slowed down again. Being out of town at the beginning of the month didn't help... and now it's almost March!!

It doesn't help that I seem to be smack in the middle of a quarter life crisis. A friend of mine made me laugh the other day as she talked about her father's midlife crisis, but since he's so careful and anxious, she said he likely planned that crisis. Yep, that's me. Not exactly proud of it.

What I am proud of - and excited about - is the work I've been doing to work through it. I've been meeting with a wonderful mentor and friend, who is a certified Strengths coach. Sidenote: if you aren't familiar with the Strengthsfinder, buy it immediately. It is life changing.

Diane is helping me work through what comes next for me. I'm graduating in May, which seems like a great time to re-evaluate what's next for me and my family. I'm so happy at work, and am not planning on that changing, but I want to try to focus in on what makes me happiest and plays to my strengths.

If you're interested in learning more about the Strengthsfinder, I'm happy to fill you and use myself and my darling husband as examples. The good news is that I managed to do a lot of sewing this weekend. I'll have pictures once the products get to their recipients later this week!

Is anyone else having a crazy start to 2012, or is it just me??

What are you thankful for?

Wait - it's not November right? Isn't Thanksgiving the time of year we're supposed to be grateful? Yes... and no!

I have a new boss at work, and she's totally and utterly fantastic. One of the changes she's bringing to our organization is a focus on mindfulness and gratitude. Mindfulness means meditation and being present in the moment, which is a big challenge for me, as you know.

                        

The newest academic research looks at gratitude as a science. I know - weird, right? But it's seriously a science. The results researchers are finding are incredible:

• When your mind is focused on gratitude and what you're thankful for, it's physically impossible to think about what's bad in your life. Impossible.
• By focusing on what they are grateful for, disadvantaged kids are able to retain more information when they study. Cool, right?
• Keeping a gratitude journal reframes your day and can reduce frustration later in the day.

Are you on board yet? You should be.

                           

I want to share some of the things I'm grateful for this week... and I want to hear some of yours!

1. A surgery for my aunt and uncle that was incredibly successful, which means many more years for my uncle!
2. An amazing new boss and a renewed energy and excitement about my work.
3. A snuggly puppy. How can I not be grateful for that?
4. A husband that I never get tired of. And who makes dinner every night. S.C.O.R.E.
5. Feeling rested and renewed after the holiday break. Planning to ride it until May.
6. Great graduate school friends who have gotten me through the past 18 months.
7. An amazing internship supervisor who cares about my professional development and makes what could have been a painful experience fantastic.
8. A warm, cozy house.
9. An interest in sewing and DIY projects. Space to do them. Time to complete them. Joy after doing so.
10. My friends and family. L-O-V-E them.
11. Blogging and the community I've found here. Every single comment you leave makes me smile, and brings little pops of joy throughout my day.
12. Sticking to my running routine long enough that I look forward to it at the end of the day now. And for a puppy who pulls me and makes me go faster.
13. My husband. I didn't think I should put the dog twice and not him! 

Just listing those things makes me smile... because it reminds me that I'm so blessed. It's hardest for me to be grateful when I'm tired and overwhelmed, which is why I keep a small journal in my purse. For emergencies. Of which I have many.

I want to know what you're grateful for. You don't need to list 13, but please tell me at least one. Because I'm grateful for hearing from you!