I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what gratitude really means and here’s what prompted it…

I am a busy person, sometimes because I choose to reinvent the wheel, sometimes because I take on too much and sometimes, that’s just how life is. It’s easy to complain when you have a lot to do and feel like there isn’t enough time to get it all done.

Recently, I’ve added significantly to my busyness by adding in some extreme exercise to my schedule! I’ve always worked out and thought I was working hard until I found the spin class (and other classes) I’m going to, or to be more specific, the spin instructor. I never ever ever in a million years thought I would get up to be anywhere consistently at 5:30 in the morning, but between boot camp on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the spin classes on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and the rowing (and spin) on Saturdays, I’m getting less sleep than ever and loving it…when I get back home and it’s over (okay and once I get there). I know it’s important to stay fit and in shape as I get older and these classes also offer a supportive community that’s fun for me!

The point to this being…I was already busy and now, I’m having a hard time fitting it all in. Before…I complained that I didn’t have enough time to exercise as much as I’d like and now that I’ve made time, I complain that I don’t have enough time to get everything else done. But, the truth of it all is that I get to choose and that is a privilege that many people (especially women) don’t have.

So…I’ve flipped the perspective and instead of saying I have to exercise, or I have to write a blog post, or I have to cook dinner, I say “I get to” do all of those things. I woke up this morning, healthy and blessed and everything else is just icing on the cake! I have a beautiful home, a happy, healthy family, a growing blog and business, and the opportunity to do whatever I want to do. For that I am grateful and I realized that gratitude is also a choice!

So next time you open your mouth to complain, remember first that you are blessed and that you “get to” do most of the things that you do!

***This post was first published on my new Substack!

“Substack is an American online platform that allows journalists, writers, and other content creators to publish newsletters and establish a subscription-based audience. It provides tools for authors to create and distribute their newsletters, manage subscriptions, and monetize content via subscriptions.”

This is the only post that I’ll ever duplicate between these two platforms. I wanted to make you aware of Substack and I hope you’ll subscribe…

Substack for me is a platform where I can hopefully grow as a writer, but I want Crazy Blonde Life to remain a lifestyle blog and a place where I can share and inspire!

Happy Sunday…Love you all!