Lucky

Recently a lot of people have been telling me that I am lucky. They all say it for different reasons but they are all right. I am lucky. But I prefer to think that instead of a random falling of the dice, I am blessed.

This Lent I have been keeping a gratitude journal. Basically, every day I write down three things that I am grateful for. It is incredible how many things in life there are to be happy about. But I think that it's also something that we have to notice. If you think every day, or even just once in a while, about all the things that are good in your life, there seems to be more and more each day. Also, you go through each day looking out for things that are special, that make you feel good, that are a blessing in your life.

These things are different for each person. It could be a baby sleeping through the night, a husband coming home earlier than expected, someone else cooking dinner, a sunset you managed to see because you were stuck in traffic and had the time to look, a candle-lit dinner you had because the electricity was switched off that became a wonderful romantic evening with a loved one. Sometimes, out of bad situations, good things come out. It's very important to see that in your life.

This past year has been full of new things for me - new country, new language, new friends, new relationships, new family members. And there have been many times when things could have gone wrong. Miraculously they have gone right, sometimes very much so. I like to think that there is a guardian angel out there, looking out for me and I am very aware that I need to say thank you regularly. To my family, to my friends, to random strangers who help me out, to my guardian angel and to God. One thing this past year has taught me is to be grateful: to be aware of the good things in my life and to say thank you for them.

I hope that when you count your blessings, you are surprised by how many there are. God bless you!

It's all about perspective

Having moved to a foreign country and built a life before, I know that bad patches are inevitable. I know there will be days you'll second guess yourself and days when all you'll want is a familiar face or a pair of arms around you.

Recently I went through one of these patches. It was pretty short-lived. One of the reasons this was true, was because I decided I just couldn't fit it in. If you lie in bed in the morning and tell yourself that the weather is bad and that you don't want to do anything you have planned for the day, your day is going to be difficult and exhausting. And if you stay in your room because you don't have any friends anyway, then you are never going to make new ones.

So after a day of admittedly feeling sorry for myself, I got up, and got out and pretended to feel at home. I know you've heard this a million times before, but people repeat because it's true. If you have a positive attitude, even if it's fake, that's half the battle won.

Suddenly I had more job offers. I got letters and emails from far-flung friends I hadn't heard from in ages. I went on a couple of outings with some people I had met here. And it felt like I had a life. A life that was actually quite interesting and worthwhile. I could see why people kept telling me I was lucky when lucky was the furtherest thing from what I was feeling.

Now in the mornings, I tell myself that it will be a good day; that today I might meet a great new friend or see something that will change how I think. That today has merit and worth and I will only see it if I get up and get out there to experience it. And so far, today hasn't failed me yet.

I hope you get up in the mornings, even the cold and rainy ones, with a positive attitude. It makes the world of difference.