new year’s resolution 2012

so for 2012, i decided to keep a gratitude journal, i also decided along with the gratitude journal i would take a photograph each day. these two activities would make me “count my blessings” and notice the beauty in the everyday. and they did. they worked like magic. i have never shared my gratitude journal…until now. 

1. appreciating all people

2. for family and friends i can be comfortable with

3. for my students who always remind me of why i wake up everyday

4. for my hindsight, to know how far i have come

5. my ability to be tactful in moments when i don’t want to be

6. my ability to forgive – not to help anyone by myself move forward

7. to be able to drive around with the windows down

8. for my bravery

9. for my kitties love

10. my ability to take doubt, anger and negativity and create fuel for positive change in my life

11. art and how easily it makes everything immediately better

12. my students allow me to be a silly imaginative person

13. my mom and bro for always supporting me

14. motivation to do better

15. friends from fitchburg state

16. good friends, a day off and laughter – getting to enjoy all of those in one day

17. two extra hours of me time

18. my kitties who love me by killing mice

19. how i feel after a good workout

20. the day after good sex mood

21. the snowblower!

22. summer fenn and the people i have met through it

23. deb – continuously supportive about everything

24. my desire to help people

25. crossing things off of lists

26. ability to see the bigger picture

27. courage to communicate even when it may end up badly

28. setting goals and completing them (5k!)

29. sean murphy  – makes me laugh

30. my ability to make new friends

31. ruth

32. starting new things (veganism)

33. ability to resist manipulation

34. running a 10 min mile

35. sleeping in

36. waking up next to someone i care about

37. my parents and their insistence on education and learning

38. waking up before my alarm goes off

39. realizing what i want

40. the courage to engage in a dialogue that maybe could have been disastrous

41. for kim and her extra set of keys

42. for great friends who support me in good times and bad times

43. the ability to let things go – to not hold onto negative feelings

44. small tokens of appreciation from friends

45. students who love me and show it

46. childhood memories

47. c.b. – his love for school and not wanting vacation for that reason

48. dance party with kindergarten

49. kim and sean for bringing me to the airport

50. day of laziness

51. natural beauty

52. my brother and his friends

53. kim, sean, sean m. and my brother…always supportive

54. the nice gentleman at home depot

55. the people who surround me and love me

56. running – how it clears my head and makes things better

57. creative inspiration from colleagues

58. ability to have a clear head

59. cold morning air in my lungs

60. an extra day (leap day!) with some extra time

61. SNOW DAY!

62. fantastic run indoors

63. peaceful day

64. getting everything i need to get done, done

65. my newfound ability to say no and goodbye when i feel it is necessary

66. for 1st graders – covered head to toe in glitter he dug out of the trash from a busted bottle – while denying he had touched glitter at all

67. full realization when someone is just not right for you at this time

68. windows open in the house – beautiful days

69. fantastic workout with fantastic friends

70. kaitlin

71. running clears my head, reminds what is actually important

72. good communication

73. gorgeous sunfilled day

74. watching the sunrise

75. head massages when you get your haircut

76. support from past friends

77. setting a goal and killing it – 10k!

78. sunshine on my face when running

79. moments of remembrance while spinning

80. willingness to try new things

81. joining a team and not being afraid to meet new people and try new things

82. doing the circuit at FIT with a new friend who pushed me hard

83. seeing dr. grondin, she is such a nice person

84. creating deeper and better connections with good positive people

85. being able to be completely honest with someone i care about

86. positive collegial conversations with timmary

87. ability to be emotional and honest with ruth

88. john setting the pace during the run tonight

89. fabulous day of teaching after a few not so fabulous ones

90. all my hard work paying off – two different people notice my weight loss

91. ability to be myself completely with sean

92. for my brother – always responds to me when i need him to

93. for positive creative energy and inspiration

94. rob o – for pushing me to sell my work

95. my mom – being so supportive

96. for camp friends who have turned into real friends

97. my brother – who is strong and courageous

98. spending the day completely stress free

99. running and catching up with courtney

100. venting to sean about stuff he doesn’t care about

101. being completely prepared for 2 days

102. jane and her amazing kindness

103. impromptu reunions for dinner

104. beginning of vacation

105. 5k PR 28.15!

106. making deeper connections with new people in my life

107. crossing something off my list – NYC!

108. enough sun to get my first sunburn of the season

109. putting winter away

110. pulling the bandaid off

111. gorgeous weather

112. making new friends

113. waking up next to someone i really care about

114. having good friends who i can rely on and who can rely on me

115. running to therapy and crockpot with a meal made

116. rainbow sighting during team run

117. jill kicking my ass into shape

118. my empathy and passion for my students

119. sean coming to see me even for just a little bit

120. new friends new experiences

121. my students painting my walls

122. revelations about my father

123. my pod

124. knowing why i teach

125. understanding the difference between real anger and hunger

126. knowing the little things can’t get me down

127. tons of support from the team

128. sean’s real attempts at “us”

129. great colleagues in the art department

130. being truly prepared and having my students prepared for a museum visit that they truly enjoyed

131. my sfw family

132. kickass playlist getting me out of bed to spin

133. double digit miles! 10.4. 

134. being able to see john

135. the ability to not get worked up over bullshit or drama

136. sean telling his friends

137. playing cards

138. running team

139. sean sleeping in bed with me

140. facing fears

141. having great friends to celebrate with

142. seeing sean again

143. speaking up at dept meetings

144. feeling confident

145. standing up for what i want

146. ability to schmooze when needed

147. making amends even though it was unneeded

148. bringing sean to a party and having a blast

149. waking up next to sean

150. not needing ruth as much

151. finding vega products closer to home which save me a trip

152. judy and kerin’s friendship and advice

153. sean letting/wanting me to meet his family

154. all the love and support from my friends and family before the race

155. completing a half marathon and sean being there to see me finish

156. sweats on a cool day

157. great new friends

158. talking to my mom

159. 6 months with sean

160. lazy day in bed with sean

161. knowing the right thing to do for my body

162. supporting my team

163. new running shoes fixing my rut

164. camp planning

165. running in rain with JGR

166. THURSDAY!

i obviously didn’t make it through the year. eventually it was just an annoying task and wasn’t making me notice all the good around me. but while i was doing it, i realized how many amazing things happened all the time and even in a bad day, i still could find a silver lining.