Gratitude

Six days since my last post and the only thing that comes to mind is gratitude.  Gratitude for my health, my family, my friends, and the sheer fact that I live in a place that brings a smile to my face every single day.

This past weekend I spent my 32nd birthday truly living life.  I did everything that makes me who I am and had a genuine smile on my face from Friday evening to Monday morning.  From flip flops, to sneakers, from barefoot to stilettos...I ran around this state with some of my most favorite people.  Others would choose to celebrate their birthday based around eating and drinking and wake up at the end of the celebration ready for a vacation to relax from all of that craziness, but I celebrated mine with a mix of good food and drinks and a ton of outdoor activity!

Now don't get me wrong, I started my birthday weekend with a terrific girls' night out consisting of delicious steaks and amazing wine.  And truthfully it ended with an amazing sushi dinner and an ice cream sundae that would render most people speechless!  But in between all of that calorie consuming, I sure as heck did my fair share of workouts!  From a 6 mile walk and a 75 minute outdoor yoga session on Saturday to another trip up the Incline and an 8 mile hike on Sunday...I ensured that my birthday was filled with as much sweat as it was calories.

Gratitude can be defined as, "a feeling or attitude in acknowledgement of a benefit that one has received or will receive."  I feel like this "benefit" I have already received and that's why these past 6 days, I can truly say that only one word clearly defines my thoughts...gratitude.  I'm thankful for the people that made my birthday an unforgettable one (both near and far), I'm thankful for the fact that I have an internal drive that pushes me to my physical limits, I'm thankful for this gorgeous state in which I live, and I'm thankful for the fact that God has allowed me to truly see all of the blessings in my life.

I challenge you to think about why you're thankful...what defines gratitude in your life?  Have you already received these benefits or are you seeking out to receive them in the future?  Many times gratitude is what pushes us forward...what motivates us.  But one thing is for sure...we all have at least one example of gratitude in our life and we should use that as a motivating drive to accomplish what we set out to conquer!