Friday 31 March 2017

50 Things I Am Grateful For

50 Things I Am Grateful For mind mental health wellbeing support recovery anxiety happiness depression

Gratitude is so important. But it's something none of us practices enough. How many times have you moaned today? Probably more than the digits on your hands. We constantly hate our life's because they are so difficult. We never have enough time, enough money or enough energy to do what we want with our life's. We often forget how privileged we really are.

This isn't me slating you guys. I'm the same. I'll moan that it's cold or that the bus isn't here. But what I'm forgetting is how privileged I actually am, to be able to afford the bus fare which gets me to college four times a week or that I live in a country which is yes is a little bit chilly but also very rarely experiences devastating storms, hurricanes or tsunamis which destroy livelihoods by the thousands.

I didn't think I would be able to find 50 things that I am grateful for but it turns out it's actually pretty easy. By doing this blog post, I realised how privileged I actually am. All those things I complain about, actually millions in society, across the globe don't have access to at all. Yes, homework is annoying, but at least I have access to an education. Okay, I don't have enough money to buy that top I really like, but at least I have other tops at home which I could wear. You catch my drift.


Here are 50 things I am grateful for:

1) Being abled bodied
2) Being able to read and write
3) Being able to travel freely around my own country as well as to other countries
4) Having a cupboard and fridge full of food
5) Having a roof over my head
6) Living in a relatively safe and well-protected country
7) My right to education is upheld
8) Being a woman and encouraged to go on to higher education
9) Being able to access private and NHS healthcare
10) Being able to afford sanitary products, meaning that I don't have to miss any education
11) Having a wardrobe full of clothes
12) Not being in debt
13) Having an incredibly warm, supportive and caring family
14) Having constant internet access
15) Having clean tap water
16) Not living in a war-torn country
17) Having an excellent group of friends at college who support me and make me laugh
18) Owning a successful website which allows me to support, educate and smash the stigma around mental health
19) The thousands of people I can connect with, talk to and support via Twitter
20) The Amazing mental health blogger community
21) My incredible blogger friends I have had the delight to meet in real life
22) My mental health medication which keeps me stable
23) Free birth control and contraception
24) Having all five of my senses work
25) Being able to work with some amazing brands because of my blog 

50 Things I Am Grateful For gratitude log mental health happiness support depression recovery self care self love

26) Having my work recognised and published by some phenomenal mental health charities
27) Getting the opportunity to volunteer with some amazing charities who do some fantastic work
28) Having the opportunity to go on holiday every year of my life so far
29) All the funny times and memories that I've captured and will remember forever
30) Being able to afford to live in a heated home
31) To be able to eat out and enjoy lovely food
32) To be able to express myself with my hair colour and clothes
33) The incredibly supportive teachers that I have, who understand my OCD and mental health problems
34) My supportive and understanding doctor
35) Both my parents being alive today
36) My therapists and councillors who are helping me understand that I'm stronger than the voices in my head
37) Growing up in a generation when three olds didn't have smartphones
38) Living in a country where we don't experience severe weather events very often
39) I live in an area with a low crime rate
40) I live in the countryside which is peaceful, quiet and full of nature on my doorstep
41) I'm allowed to express my creativity, and it's not frowned upon
42) I have had a happy childhood
43) Both my parents have stable well-paying jobs
44) I can express my opinions openly without the risk of being killed or murdered
45) My future career prospects as women are incredibly better than what they were
46) I've never broken a bone
47) I don't live with any long term physical illnesses which impair my life to the point in makes it impossible to live a long and fulfilling life
48) I don't have to walk miles and miles a day to find water just to survive that day
49) I live in clean and hygienic conditions
50) My future looks bright and happy

I have battled with severe mental health problems and still currently struggle a lot with my mental illnesses. I've had a rocky childhood, full of sickness and trauma but that doesn't have to define or stop me achieving now and in the future.

I'm slowly coming to the realisation that my life isn't as bad as old Nicole thought it was. I want to dedicate my life to helping and supporting people less fortunate than I.

What are you grateful for? Let me know in the comments below!

Thank you for reading, as always X
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