Lori’s Gratitude Guide
Reflection is one of the most important aspects of gratitude; being able to look back and recognize our blessings is truly a gift. As I sat down to write this post, I took a minute to remember where I was last year right before Thanksgiving. The emotions all flooded back to me; last year my son, Cory, was battling COVID-19 and it was such a scary time. There were no vaccines, or medication, to fight this horrible virus – and with Cory’s asthma, it was heartbreaking to watch him struggle to take a breath. I’m a person who needs to be in control, so to feel helpless while a loved one is sick, is such a terrible feeling. I know it’s a sentiment that has been felt far and wide by so many of you during the past two years.
While all this was going on though, I made it a point to still find moments of gratitude. Even when it felt so bleak – and there were points in time last year where I honestly did not know how Bridals by Lori would survive – I paused and prayed and held on to the feeling of hope that came from even the smallest acts of kindness. It took so much effort for me to count my blessings last year, but I’m so glad I did because if you want to see the sunshine, you have to weather the storm.
This year, Thanksgiving takes on new meaning as I approached my gratitude guide with so very much to be thankful for:
- I am thankful for my health and I think everyone who survives cancer feels this Eddie and I celebrate our cancerversary (mine is 9 years) every year, and we appreciate that we were given a second chance at life.
- I am so very thankful for my family. As a family, we all pitched in to support each other during COVID, and it has strengthened our bonds with each other. I am so grateful to have had their support – we kept each other sane and laughing – and we also leaned on each other when we needed to cry. I appreciate them every single day.
- My faith was a constant support and comfort for me during these trying times. My daily affirmations every single morning motivated me to continue taking good care of myself and my family – getting out of bed each morning during lockdown – and sticking to my exercise routine kept me grounded. It could have been so easy to fall into a deep depression given everything that was happening around us, but through my faith, I was able to hold on to that hope that everything will turn out okay.
- I’m thankful for Bridals by Lori and my work family, it was not an easy time when we had to close down the store as brides were forced to cancel and postpone their weddings. I’m also so thankful that I still love my work – I enjoy helping brides so much and that feeling I get whenever a bride finds the perfect gown for her big day – has never diminished over the years. I’m truly thankful that my business exploded again now that there’s a vaccine for COVID – and 2022 promises to be an amazing year for weddings!
- The benefits of having a pet are so well known – from providing unconditional love and affection – to keeping people active and engaged. Pets do wonders for people of all ages but especially for those in my age bracket who might be lonely in their empty nests. So it’s no surprise how truly thankful I am for Chloe, my beautiful Bichon puppy, who keeps our house so much fun with her daily antics!
Finally, I am thankful that even though this year has thrown me many curve balls – I have come out stronger and even more grateful!
What’s in your gratitude guide this year? Do you take time daily to reflect on your blessings? I find writing them down to be such a helpful way for me to focus on the positive and to see all the things I truly have to be grateful for in my life.
Share with us some of the things you’re grateful for this year in the comments!
Till Next Time,
Lori Allen
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