Was chatting with someone today who survived two surgeries and breast cancer.
She was telling me that during her first surgery, she remembered how painful it was to move just to answer the phone. Although that particular operation was on her stomach – she felt the FULL sense of EVERYTHING being connected – as if her stomach muscles were connected to her eyelids! EVERYTHING HURT!
Following her breast cancer diagnosis and surgeries she decided to keep a journal noting exactly how she felt on a day to day basis.
Most days were not good but she wanted to remind herself of what she was experiencing.
Today (now cancer free! 🙂 ) she tells me that whenever she is having a bad day – she just reaches for that journal – and after reading maybe three or four lines she is able to feel better about ANYTHING she is experiencing in the moment.
This got me thinking about contrast.
True appreciation for anything comes about when we’ve had contrast.
We come through sickness – we appreciate health even more.
We survive poverty and come out able to provide for ourselves and our families – we appreciate good fortune that much more
We know what it’s like ‘not to have’ so we appreciate having!
Only with this kind of deep seated knowledge can we truly be grateful.
I guess the opposite of this could work as well. If you are riding a wave of success right now – why not write it down? If you’re feeling blissfully happy – note exactly what you’re experiencing. So that when you are having a bad day – or a ‘not so spectacular’ week – you can simply read a couple lines from your journal and recognize that whatever you’re going through is not here to stay.
Things have been better and things WILL get better.
Just a thought.
Got me thinking today….
What about you?
Your expertise is your business! 
Thanks G, beautiful and so true, this approach really works! It helps you appreciate every moment, every life experience no matter how wonderful or painful it may be.