What a week it has been with not only the celebration of the redesigned Jillybeads 4 Justice website and vision, but also kicking off my 32nd year of life with a bang So far, the feedback has been nothing but positive, which makes all the effort and stress seem minimal at this point. As I move from celebration mode back to planning and action, I’m also finding myself shift to ease and gratitude. There are many things I’m grateful for these days that is contributing to this feeling of deep appreciation. Below are my Top 5 that immediately come to mind:
- Hearing Baby Z’s* heartbeat
for the first time. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh. This is the sound I heard that absolutely took my breath away and brought me to tears of joy. Also, a wave of relief came rushing over me that this magical miracle happening in my body is indeed real. It put everything in perspective…EVERYTHING—a reminder that we all begin this way. Plus, upping the ante and motivation to make my vision of changing the world a reality.
- My wife, family, friends, and community. This is a constant on my list, yet birthdays have a way of increasing my level of gratitude on this front. Hands down, nothing compares to feeling loved, nurtured, supported, and taken care of by your peeps.
- Feeling like myself again. One aspect of pregnancy that I never planned for or thought about was how I would feel physically during my first trimester. I’m not shy in sharing that morning sickness was wrongly named in my case as I had nausea almost all-day (or at least parts of it) for the first 3.5 months. While I was grateful that my body provided this sign, it’s hard to not feel like yourself day in and day out. Needless to say, I’m stoked to be back in the game of life.
- The balance between stability and flexibility. With my heart, head, and soul focused on the next steps for Jillybeads 4 Justice and my life transitions happening in the next 3-6 months, I’m grateful for the stability I have now (job and time) with the promise of flexibility in my future.
- Summer Solstice on the horizon. The official mark of summer and the day with longest period of daylight is just a few days away. While I’m not as fortunate as my wife to have a summer break (shout-out to all the teachers!), there’s a lovely shift and freedom that comes with longer nights.
Now that I’ve shared a few thoughts on what has me feeling grateful these days, I encourage you to ponder:
- What are you grateful for right now?
- How could shifting your attitude help you appreciate more about yourself, your current situation, and the beauty around you?
I’d love to hear your thoughts below in the comments.
With love and gratitude,
Jillian
*Since my wife and I aren’t finding out the gender of our baby, we’re affectionately calling it Baby Z.