Rona finally caught up with my family and me this last week. All three of us ended up with Covid. The family that has Covid together, stays together, literally! It has not been our best week ever and I'm pretty sure I've coughed my way to six-pack abs. 😂 But, when life gives you lemons you try to make lemonade.

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For all of you who know me, I am a glass is half full person. I try to see the silver lining in situations, even if it takes time to reveal itself. This week was no exception.

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While I was feeling my worst, shivering with a high fever, feeling like I had glass shards in my throat, my head pounding, and coughing nonstop, I felt a sense of gratitude. I know what you're thinking, what?!? How could you feel gratitude at that moment? In the midst of feeling so bad, I realized that I couldn't remember the last time I felt this bad. I remembered that most days I feel pretty good and I often take my good health for granted.

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Now don't get me wrong, I also had moments of why me? how long is this going to last? and all the other thoughts that come with the suckiness of being sick. I let myself feel it all, but then I remind myself, as always, I get to choose. I can sit here and be a pain in the ass for everyone else as I feel sorry for myself, or I can decide that this sucks, accept it, and then make some lemonade.

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Gratitude is a pretty amazing thing. It helps you reframe things in a way that actually serves you. It can help you see possibilities that you didn't see before. Gratitude is something that comes naturally for some but for those who it doesn't, it's a practice that can be cultivated over time. If you don't know how to do it, you can learn.

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Start by choosing to shift your focus and attention to appreciate things around you. This can be challenging for people. So the key is to start with small things, pick one or two and write them down. It can be things like having running water, a car, or a roof over your head. As you start to find things in your life to be grateful for they will continue to appear. Like I said earlier, it's a practice, so the more you do it the better you get at it.

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Here are some things I've been feeling grateful for this week.

• My cozy home, I can't imagine having to quarantine anywhere else!

• My dog and my family (the dog was listed first because he spent the first two days locked in my room with me before my family also tested positive 😂💙).

• Quiet time. Maybe this is not the way I would have liked to get it but it is something I'm always trying to find more of in my life.

• Netflix, Apple TV, and Prime Video. I've had a lot of time to Netflix and chill and I've been catching up on all the shows everyone is always talking about.

• My friends and family. This was a huge one that has brought a tear to my eye now and then. I have the best people around me. I am so grateful for everyone who texted, called, and dropped stuff by. Having so much love and support helped to get me through, especially the first few days. 💙

• The almost daily rain showers. I love laying in bed listening to the rain which I was able to do a lot of this week.

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These were just some of the things that I found myself feeling grateful for. I try to come up with a few new ones each day.

Do you have a gratitude practice? You can get started right now. Tell me in the comments 1-3 things you are grateful for.

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