Hope is alive

I've made no secret that this year has kept me on my toes. Emotional ups and downs. More downs than ups. I let myself fall to pieces a couple times. I've cried myself to sleep. I've let myself think that life just about sucks. And then something so small can happen that completely turns you around. Sometimes it's as simple as reading a book that brings you comfort. Listen to a certain song, a smell that brings you back to a childhood memory, a laugh, a smile. These little things start happening and it starts the ball rolling back in the right direction.

My roll into a better mind set started when I signed up at the gym. I've never been the gym kind of person, but since I've been doing it I've been so much happier. Whenever I go a couple days without working out I feel sluggish. I'm getting healthier and feeling better. Then we made some important life decisions that have put some stresses we did have waaaaaaaay on the back burner.

When I look at the overview of my life I'm pretty damn lucky. I have a great supportive husband, a fantastic son, a loving family and the best friends you could ever ask for. I have a job that I love, hobbies that make me feel so satisfied and I have more confidence in the things I do than ever before. When you focus on the bigger picture it makes the smaller things easier to deal with.

Today a friend brought by a small but wonderful gift to me. It's a black bracelet with a silver plate on it that says "positivity" It's amazing how something so small and so simple can have such a powerful message. But it's not just what it says. It's the message that there are still great people out there. It's not about the money, it's about the thought. She cared enough to think of me when she saw this and gave it to me for no other reason than to spread the word. What an amazing gift.

It's allowed me to renew my hope in people. That there are still great people out there who care enough to take the time to think of others. I have tried to think positive things more often. It is amazing how being negative can pull you down. I've been working towards eliminating the negative people in my life. Not out of hate or spite, I've just hit a point where I don't need that around me and my family. Things are looking up.