Gratefulness..... please join

So I have been thinking about ways to bring some light to this often times overwhelmingly hard PTSD forum...we all struggle from time to time(an understatement from me)

So.......

Here at home when I put my boy to bed, the last thing we do before I love you's and sleep time is name at least 3 things each we are grateful for. His always make me smile and also feel proud that he sees these things in his life now.

Frequently I struggle to name 3, but always do given enough time.

I thought I'd share my 7 yr old boys(when he is with me) and mine from time to time. I'd love it if you felt you wanted to join in.

Today I'm grateful for:
Mr 7

• moshi monsters
• you(talking about me)
• my whole family
• light, cause I can see things
• oh and soccer

Me:

• coffee
• your giggles(my sons)
• a sunny day
• flowers

What are yours???

I had a similar thought the other day. We are all doom and gloom. Some positive threads might help us not wallow in it.

My current pdoc, my trauma T, my prior T, all of whom treat me with respect and don't condescend or dismiss me as some crazy dude with the iq of a radish.

Bicycles. Shimano components. Specialized (it's a major brand in cycling, one of the "Big Three" companies) anything, my two bikes made by them which are marvels of technology, my helmets, shoes, riding gloves, and clothing. Louis Garneau, clothing and eye protection. Pearl Izumi clothing, gear. My local bike shop where they know my name, like on Cheers. A great stretch of smooth asphalt at 4 am under starry skies with not another human being in site, especially in a county with a population larger than that of each of the 9 smallest US states - take that, Rhode Island and Montana!

My dog even though he is also high maintenance and expensive.

General Motors. I'm still in love with the SUV I bought last fall. Could get a little better mileage, though, lol. Heated seats. OnStar.

Fall color - it's coming.

Ski-able snow - it's coming, too. Also my snow bike - I tell people I ride in the snow, freaks them out.

Fish the fish. Long story - he was the only survivor of a nasty fish massacre, I felt for him, so I rescued him. Aquarium $30, Accessories $80, live food $3 a week, a fish I rescued 6 months out of the day hospital from murky stinky water with dead tank mates who has way more than doubled in size and stares at me. "Feed me" when I get close - priceless.

Autumn Joy sedum, yucca, hosta, day lilies, butterfly bush, miscanthus - all the plants I am redoing my yard in that are ultra low maintenance and rock hard tough.

Kabocha squash - yum.

Most of all, my gym and all of the people I met there some are great friends now, and I would have killed myself by Christmas 2012 if I hadn't joined.

Finally, being able to donate over 20 garbage bags of my ""fat clothes" to the Salvation Army. Not needing fat clothes anymore. Good riddance size 42 pants, hello 36s and some days 34s. Yeah buddy!

Haha, that's gonna be hard to beat on a regular basis Johnny!

I am grateful that I am learning about PTSD and that I have a compassionate therapist that I connect with.

I am grateful for the belief that I can and will heal from my traumas.

I am grateful that I did not drink or drug to try to cope as I am a sober alcoholic of 34 years.

I am grateful I found this site!

Today I am grateful for.....

My dearest friend J who is more like family than my family, who gets me, laughs and cries with me, who I love and loves me back.....which is new.

Jokes, especially when they come from my boy.

Sooooo grateful for the last day of term, and being able to appreciate how lucky I am to be able to study....and to have a break from it!!!

Also that others are joining in with this thread, helps me to see other things I can also be grateful for.

Mr 7 is grateful for: (his words only)

My school production today, and that you(me) came and clapped, and all the songs I got to sing, and the joke that people laughed at. (what is brown and sticky?...... A stick!!!)

For water, (why I asked), because doh! we couldn't survive without it Mummy

For feet because I couldn't walk without them

For music



My son makes me appreciate the small things, because honestly, they really are the most important.

I am greatful for being home after being away.
I am greatful that my animals are happy to see me and make me feel so loved.
I am greatful that I am going to take some time off soon.

Today is one of those days when I am struggling to find things to be grateful for......but...........

Today I am grateful for

A son who is kind and helpful, who I can snuggle with on the sofa and watch a film when I am down.

My T, even though he has me all confused and stressed, I am still grateful he tries.

Chocolate.

Mr 7 today is grateful for:

Cookies

The best mum in the world because you play with me

For a new DVD

Today I am grateful for

my cat which is sleeping on my lap.

My dog which is snoring at the end of the bed in protest that the cats closer than she is to me.

My daughter who made me toast in bed this morning.

My wife who put up with me today and supports me loyally.

PC friends who read and reply to my crazy posts

Right now I am most grateful for:

• my presence of mind
• 10 wonderful years with my husband
• fall weather
• my inner faith, unshakable even by me
• the blue mountains of jamaica and their excellent coffee beans
• corduroys
• possibility
• this forum
• this thread
• that i'm not alone, irrespective of the fact that i would also not wish this condition on anyone

Thank you

A beautiful stretch of sunny, pleasant weather after a cool, wet summer.
Kabocha squash - yummy.
Smooth asphalt - a rarely here, our roads are a disgrace, full of potholes.
16 gram CO2 cylinders - so much easier than trying to pump a bicycle tire up to 120 psi.

Do not want to do this......... but I know it helps me.....

Today I am grateful for

A friend who listens to my mad ramblings, and sets me straight with a laugh.

For marigolds, that are fantastic companion plants for my vege garden

For pizza. OMG PIZZA. haha

For PC where I can come and download my blah, and not feel too judged, rather supported, and not alone.

(ps, feel better for having typed this. note to self, this does make a difference)

For everyone who adds a little piece of their own joy here for others to read. Thanks

I am grateful for a husband that is normal, stable and earns a great living because I am not a productive member of society any longer.

I am grateful for the amazing human being, my T, for going above and beyond to show me I am not alone and worthless.

I am grateful for my dog Petunia. She has saved my life more than I can count. I worry about her more if I die than my husband.

I am grateful for hair straightening products. Hate my curly hair!

I am grateful I do like to drink or do drugs.

I'm pretty grateful to my T as well.

Pumpkins - it's fall.

Dogwood, sugar maple, red maple, Sweetgum, and ginkgo - great fall color.

Frosty mornings with mist hanging over the low spots.

Thunderstorms - I'm a weather geek, I love storms.

Local cold processed honey- delicious.

Delicious apples - ok any apples. Again, it's fall here.

Pepto Bismol - puked on my ride, it helped. (Sorry for the lovely visual you got there, TMI!)

Humor, comedy, Seinfeld and Modern Family in particular.

Love this idea for a thread and as much as I don't want to do it, I'm replying

Today I am grateful for:

Feel good movies that just make me smile and feel warm inside (even if only very temporarily).

My wonderful T, who has shown he won't give up on me no matter how much I try to push him away.

I am grateful for language because without it I'd be hard pushed to convey how awful I feel at times!

Morning coffee - nothing quite like it.

Rubbish guilty pleasure TV that will distract me tonight.

My ex-partner for continuing to be an involved Dad even though we separated 4 months ago - it gives me the space I really need at times.

Thanks for this thread, it's a great idea.

I am grateful that I woke up next to my husband and we are alive.

Today I am grateful for:

A bed made with freshly cleaned & dried outside sheets to get into last night

Leftover homemade dhal makhani and rice that I can enjoy at work this evening

Being able to come to work, even on a Sunday shift that finishes at 11.30pm, as it relieves the financial stress

For working with people who struggle so greatly with their mental health that it helps to put in to perspective 'how hard my life really isn't'

were grateful for Michigan apples in Indiana too, and grateful for the golden corn shimmering in a dappling sun, and for lace curtains to see it through.

I'm grateful I finally learned to say the hardest words, "not good enough". Thats how depression lifted.

I am grateful that I woke up next to my husband and we are alive.

Whew, what to be grateful for?
My home.
My husband, who is amazingly patient and knows how to make me laugh.
My daughter, who keeps me moving when I want to curl up in a ball.
My dog, who doesn't bark but wiggles ferociously when people come around, or when she needs something.
And music.

Clearance at Kroger on English muffins (yes, I can have one once in a while) $0.39. Broccoli on sale $0.99.

60's TV - The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres, The Addams Family, I Dream of Genie - a gentler kind of humor, from more innocent times.

OTOH - Seinfeld, my all time favorite show.

Grateful for:
the smell of rain in the air.
Dove dark chocolate
the dogs: Jasmine, Sammy and Kali
the fish
fall flowers in bloom
the t that guides me in our sessions
the h that sticks with me
family
my sponsor
this site
a relatively healthy body
laughter with others
hugs (dog kisses)
Lavender candles
being here
thanks, I enjoy this post

Struggling...... but

I am grateful today that PC is here for me to come when I have no one else I can turn to with difficult stuff

I am again grateful that I woke up this morning next to my husband and we are both alive because when my baby brother woke up this morning, he woke up alone again as he has since his wife died last Friday.

Contacts - awesome, especially in winter, no more fog blindness coming in out of the cold while lenses in your glasses warm up.

This seems to be a hard one today, but I wanto try.

I'm grateful for my awesome T & when I called her last month during an od & she took care of everything. Couldn't have asked for a better T!

I'm grateful for my H ability to financially handle this family of 5 w/o anything from me.

Also grateful for my hazelnut coffee w/ hazelnut cream & one of my 2 daily smokes I have in the morning for breakfast. Breakfast of champions.

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