Hi! I thought about my posts for my gratitude project and I figured that doing a weekly post of a full week of gratitude posts would be much better for me to try to do verses doing it daily. I'll be posting 7 days of gratitude photos and stories from Instagram each Friday. So here we go for the first one!
DAY 1 - JANUARY 1ST
Today was colder than it has been for a majority of the winter season so far. A month or so ago I promised myself that I'd try to get outside every single regardless of the weather. I didn't want to go outside today but I also wanted to at the same time. I wanted to take a few yoga pictures outside so I talked my sister into going with me to take the pictures. (I've lost my tripod somehow?!? 🙄) So we went to the trail and snapped some pictures of each other. We weren't there for very long because it was freezing and the wind wouldn't stop 🌬 But I am grateful for that short period of time that we got out to take some pictures and make some memories of how we went to the trail on New Year's Day and froze all because I wanted to take some pictures. 📷 Something small and simple, but a good way to start off this project I think.
DAY 2 - JANUARY 2ND
This morning was spent at Starbucks with Darrin working on my website. We've never went to work in coffee shops together in over a year of being together which is so weird to me because that's one of my favorite things to do. I'm currently doing a lot of behind the scenes website stuff to make the whole site in general fit my style more and I'm grateful for the easy, slow Saturday morning I got to spend in Starbucks drinking tea, working on my creations, and being with my boyfriend ☕️
DAY 3 - JANUARY 3RD
This afternoon I painted a bit. I typically paint nature. Usually trees or flowers 🌳🌻, but today was more about the ocean 🌊 I never plan out what I'm painting, I just start doing it and see what happens. Today I'm grateful for my willingness to sit down with my brush, paint, paper, and a clear mind; which allows me to express myself through the pictures that I create.
DAY 4 - JANUARY 4TH
Today consisted of waking up, going to the gym, going to work, coming home, walking the dogs, yoga, dinner, and working on my website until I go to sleep soon. That's what I spend most of my time doing lately, the website. I talk about it a lot and I think about it even more. I haven't even made any resolutions for 2016 or reflections from 2015 yet because my free time is spent doing website stuff. I have a deadline for some stuff and I've put off my end of the year stuff until after that. I'm not complaining and I hope it doesn't seem that way because today that is what I'm grateful for. Almost 3 years ago I started Create N Plate with very little plan and direction. I still don't have much figured out but it has allowed me to grow in so many ways. It inspires and motivates me to work hard and create better content each time I step into the kitchen or open up my computer to write. I have created this platform all on my own and continue to make the content provided. I love it and it all is something so special to me ✨ // If you've ever wanted to try something new or different, do it. It's possible and it will change your life for the better. Make it happen 💥
DAY 5 - JANUARY 5TH
I'm not even a full week into this little project and I'm realizing that I have to be more present in my days and get creative with my gratitude. Every day I won't have some big thing happen that I am grateful for and that is totally okay. Today I'm grateful for something small and something that is taken for granted most of the time and that's my bed. I have a nice mattress, fleece sheets, big soft blankets, and a nice fluffy comforter. I have plants at my window right beside my bed that absorb the morning sunlight that streams through my blinds and wakes me up each weekend when I am able to sleep a bit later than usual. 🌞🌱All of those things are so much more than what a majority of the world has and each day I don't typically think much about them. But today I did and I did that because I am working on this project and ultimately working on myself. And for all of that, I am grateful.
DAY 6 - JANUARY 6TH
🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞 Sunny days in the winter. Winter isn't fun or easy for me to deal with so any time the sun is lighting up my life it's a good thing 💫 p.s. I never post selfies like this on Instagram so this is weird for me but hi 🤗
DAY 7 - JANUARY 7TH
I'm only a week into my gratitude project and I'm learning that it's tougher some days than other days to find something that I'm grateful for and able to take a nice picture of to share. But anyways!! Everyday after work I have a routine. Walk with the dogs, make a snack (today it was this), yoga, then dinner. All of these things are things that I love and enjoy. Small routines each day like this make my afternoons so much more productive. I am motivated to get all of these things done because they're things that I look forward to and I find that the motivation carries on throughout my evenings as well. So today, day 7, I am grateful for my happy little routines in my daily life.
DAY 8 - JANUARY 8TH
Today I'm grateful for a few things and I had a tough time choosing a photo to share but this is what I'm going with. I'm grateful for slow cloudy afternoons of getting lost in a good book with a fury friend by my side 🐾📚 // Also grateful for empty gyms 💪😊
Check back next Friday for a full (more detailed) post of my days of gratitude. Also share with me what you're grateful for today!