Gratitude... but Make It a Challenge

When life is life-ing and you’re just trying to stay calm and not cry because you just finished your makeup.

Alright, y’all, I think it’s time for a little more honesty. Lately, life has been on some next-level foolishness. Like, I’m sitting here every day thinking, “What is this?!” But if you know me in real life, you already know the words that really came out of my mouth were, “You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me!” Because seriously, how much more is life gonna throw at me before I catch a break?

Now listen, I’m not even gonna pretend I wasn’t out here having a full-blown pity party. I was deep in that victim mindset, like, “I’m a good person. I don’t bother nobody. Why is everything happening to me?!” I was ready to set up camp in my frustrations, no lie. It was real comfortable there. But then, I had to stop and check myself because while I was so busy focusing on all the things going wrong, I wasn’t leaving any room for acknowledging the good stuff.

And honestly, there is good stuff happening. I just wasn’t paying attention. I was out here letting life drag me around like I had no say in the matter. But something clicked, and I had to remind myself that I’ve got some control in this, especially over what I choose to focus on. So, I sat down (with a glass of Prosecco because, you know, priorities), and I made a decision.

Starting Monday, I’m challenging myself to make a gratitude list every day for seven days straight. No matter how messy or stressful things get, I’m gonna sit down and reflect on the little joys that are still happening. Even if it’s as simple as, “I found a bomb playlist and blasted it at ignorant levels in my car on the way to work.” Because listen, sometimes it’s the small things like that—those moments when I’m just vibing to my music, forgetting the world for a second—that remind me there’s still plenty of good to be thankful for.

And the best part? I’m going to be sharing it all right here on Substack with this beautiful community! Y’all can help hold me accountable as I go through this gratitude challenge. But be gentle with me now. This is new territory, and I’m taking it one day at a time.

So, if you can relate to what I’m saying, join me in this. Let’s do this together: seven days, seven gratitude lists. We’re gonna celebrate the little blessings that lift us up, because we deserve to acknowledge the good in our lives, even when life is being ghetto!