What if we all stopped making resolutions to eat better, work out more, shop less, drink less (all great things but hear me out) and instead, we made one powerful resolution for 2021—to be grateful. That is all.

What if instead of waking up tomorrow hating our bodies and feeling bad for that junk food we had last night, we just woke up grateful for our breath. For the ability to take a deep breath in and out. Try it—in through your nose, out through your mouth. Do you know how lucky we are that we can do that with ease? Do it again, mindfully appreciating that gift. What if we woke thankful for the blood flowing through our veins. Thankful that we survived 2020.

What if we practiced gratitude in every aspect of our lives, and stopped focusing on all the bad things. Life gets hard, but you have life.

Practicing gratitude for all your blessings is a life-changing skill, one I think we all need to work on daily. Myself included. Gratitude for life’s simplest pleasures, perhaps things you normally take for granted.

Today I woke up and was mindful of the fact that I was in a warm house. I made a coffee and was grateful for the scent of it, the taste of it, the warmth of it. I woke up grateful for my children’s health and safety. I woke up grateful for my husband’s job. I woke up grateful for my animals. I woke up grateful that I have food in my fridge.

There are many little annoyances I could have griped about—kids were arguing, floors were filthy (again), loads of laundry to fold—but I kept my perspective, I remained mindful of my gratitude and I turned the dialogue from I am going to kill these kids to I am so blessed for these kids. I turned the dialogue from I am going to give these dogs away, how can the floors be filthy again?! to these dogs bring our family so much joy and they sadly won’t be around forever. I changed the dialogue from I am so tired of putting laundry away to I am so grateful that we have clothing to wear.

If you practice gratitude it becomes a habit. So many lives were lost in 2020, but ours was not. I think 2021 should be about appreciating life, and all the beautiful blessings surrounding us. The sunset, the smile from a stranger, the trees, a hug from someone we are still allowed to get close to.

Delete the news app, delete the social media that is pumping you bad news, delete the negative thoughts, and look up. What do you have to be thankful for?

Deep breath. In and out.

Happy New Year.

Simply,

Jules