Why a Word Challenge?

Gratitude (noun) is the quality or feeling of being grateful or thankful. Gratitude is much more than a feeling - it is a mindset - a way of life. I've been known to have the "30% rule" on some things - that I exaggerate by 30%. There is no 30% rule here, I am grateful for everything. I try to find something to be grateful for in every situation. Gratitude is the silver-lining of life. I learned everything I know about gratitude and practicing gratitude from a hospital bed. Sounds odd. How can you be grateful when you are in a hospital bed? Well, for starters, it means you are still alive and fighting the good fight. When you are at your wits end, end of life, end of options, end of energy, battery at 2%, you are forced to settle in and take a good long hard look at what really matters. It is in those moments, you begin to see things differently. It's the silver-lining-rose-colored-glasses for life. It was relatively early on in my illness and I was still able to take a shower; and looking back, this was one of my showers; a pivotal point in my life, one I will never forget. I found myself, standing in the hospital bathroom almost paralyzed with fear - yet, as I pushed through the fear, took my shower, and becoming so grateful for the bench in the shower. That was when I first truly experienced gratitude . Note I used the word experienced, it was more than a feeling or passing thought, it was an all encompassing observation. I felt the power of gratitude . How can you experience this in your own life? When you are driving down the road, think of three things you are thankful for. When you are writing in your journal at the end or start of your day, highlight what you are thankful for. As your computer boots up in the morning, think of something you are grateful for. When "something bad happens" think of one positive thing. It is during this day-to-day activities, the attitude of gratitude begins. My car literally stopped running as I was merging on the expressway; immediately I am overcome with gratitude , I am grateful for so many different things at that moment. I am grateful I was able to pull safely to the shoulder, I am grateful I am not alone, I am grateful I have AAA, I am grateful I am safe. Those were my first thoughts - my default, my automatic. I am so grateful! I know it's not the common approach, but give it a try. Remember to keep pushing through with a little gratitude and grace. I think now more than ever, our world needs gratitude . We need to look for the good, look for gentle kindness in things. Appreciate the small things, the inconvenient things, the difficult things, the challenges, the disappointments, the changes, the struggles, the not so perfect things in life. Those are all opportunities to keep pushing through with a little gratitude and grace.

Balance as a (noun) means a state of equilibrium, equal distribution of weight, amount, etc. where as balance as a (verb) is to bring to or hold in equilibrium; poise or to arrange, adjust or proportion the parts symmetrically. When something becomes off balance it doesn't feel good. There is an unsteadiness, a feeling of instability. Imagine when you experience high or low blood sugar, you need to work to maintain that balance of sugar and insulin in your system. A good application of balance is in that it brings a roundness - completeness to your life. For you data geeks imagine a doughnut chart. That doughnut chart displays the different components that round it out, you would like to see an even distribution of the categories within in that doughnut chart, the same is true in life, to bring balance to your life. Another way to look at balance is to look at it as a tire. If you mapped out all the areas you are pouring into on a daily basis or weekly basis, are those components enough to keep your tire full of air and fully rounded or do end up with a flat tire? You may be kicking butt at your job and budget, but your exercise and workouts are non-existent, that would cause an oblong shaped tire or doughnut. You can't get too far with a flat tire in life. Balance is something I have been striving for since recovery from pancreatitis. There balance with my health for sure. Being Type 3c diabetic, I have to keep my blood sugar balanced every single day. I am balancing my sugar to protein intake. I am also balancing my time between friends and family, work and home, hobbies and homework. This desire for balance in my life has brought about a calm - steady equilibrium if you will. The flat tire has helped me tremendously over these past years of recovery and healing. I take inventory in my tire at least every other week and determine where I need to round out and it helps to remind to always keep pushing through.

Faith (noun) the confidence or trust in a person or thing; a belief not based on proof; belief in anything, as a code of ethics, standard of merit, etc... I think when anyone hears the word faith , they default to religion or belief in God; and that is valid. I do not disagree, but I think faith is really rooted deep within each of us. A leap of faith . Having faith in a person - that they will do the right thing; that comes from within. The part that gets me is simply that faith is belief that is not based on proof. It means you have no control. If you have faith - you have the confidence in something that cannot be controlled. The best way I've been able to depict faith is the wind. You can't see it, but you can feel it - you just know it's there. That’s having faith ! I read about people becoming angry with the Lord or struggling with their faith when something bad happens. I was just the opposite. In all transparency, I didn't think much or ever really, about God while I was sick. It wasn't until I was in recovery that I thought, something got me through this - there is something more to this story beside an amazing surgeon and diving deep to persevere. This where my walk began. This where faith runs deep. In times of struggle and illness, strain and despair, our faith shines through the brightest. Faith is an important word to include in my word challenge because I am really starting on my walk with God. I am really beginning to understand the power of having faith in something greater. Faith in the Lord. We recently watch The Case for Christ again - such a great story! As much as you may need to see it to believe it, that glorious; ever powerful faith shone through. When you have a little faith and keep pushing through - it's quite spectacular.