So it’s been a while, a very long while, since I last posted on here. And a lot has changed, some things I’m grateful for, other things not so much. I had recently listened to a podcast where someone was interviewed about a gratitude journal and how it had changed their perspective on life. With the new year I have decided it is time in my life to let go of things and people in my life that don’t give me happiness or add true value – essentially a Marie Kondo style cleanse so I can focus on myself, good things, and great people.

And this is how the idea of starting a monthly gratitude post came into play. We’ll see how long this lasts, but already I’ve noticed how more peaceful I am, giving thanks to people and appreciating the little things in life. So here is my first entry of all the things, people, and musings that I have been very grateful for in February:

1 Gratitude. Listened to a podcast where it was stated that the brain was wired to survive but now we can rewire the brain to thrive. So this is the start of that journey for me.

2 Sunshine: finally aired out our coal bags in the sun that we didn’t know we had to do before we started using them, we have been waiting for a bit of sun for months to do this!

3 Volunteers: visited the Banqueting Hall, an Historic Royal Palaces attraction, and they had such lovely volunteers guiding us to watch the changing of the horse guards across the road even though it was nothing to do with the Banqueting Hall, they were just being nice.

4 Podcasts: learning things means every day is a school day.

5 Lunar New year: brought in traditional Chinese cookies and sent out an email at work explaining the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, which meant every now and then there were exclamations of “I’m a monkey” or “I’m a tiger”. People also loved the cookies. I have not been in the office for the last 4 years or so on Lunar New Year to do this.

6 Job security: passed my probation and it was odd to learn that my bosses were slightly worried that I would want to leave, as I was worried they didn’t want me to stay – so pleasantly happy about this.

7 Food: leftovers rock.

8 Duck truck and good timing: randomly bumped into a friend on the way back from lunch who I haven’t seen in months who was being inducted to The Law Society.

9 Green Book: hilarious and touching feel good film.

10 Trying new cuisines: had Georgian food for the first time and it was delicious.

11 Hubby getting home before me and starting chores for the evening means less stress for me.

12 Making a new friend at a networking event who was funny and entertaining and advising me on places to go on holiday, on what could have easily been an overwhelming networking event.

13 Early to bed and some evening stretches to easily relax.

14 Lovely quiet date night in playing board games and video games.

15 Quietness: grateful that the fire alarm system has been fixed and no longer ringing throughout our place.

16 Breathing: with a blocked nose and phlegmy throat it has been difficult breathing at times today, so I’m grateful for a clear passage way every now and then.

17 Medicine: got me through a rough day.

18 Hot water bottle: soothing warmth.

19 Honey and lemon: great natural remedy.

20 Soup: soothes a sore throat and easy to eat when you’re ill and have toothache.

21 Public transport: too ill to walk to work so grateful to be able to hop on a bus.

22 Sunshine: sunny lunchtime on the terrace at work, which I visited for the first time.

23 Friends and board games: was lovely visiting and catching up with old friends over board games, I had missed this lovely group since we’ve moved away so it was great doing something we used to do a lot.

24 Hearing: one of my ears had been muffled for a couple of days I think due to congestion from a cold and after some disgustingly foul tasting medicine I think I can hear a little better today.

25 Dusk: walking home just before it got dark and it was lovely.

26 Grass: sat at lunch on some lush green grass, looking forward to summer months now.

27 Not being rushed getting to work: walking leisurely to work and actively listening to my podcast and not just power walking ensuring I’m not late, just simply walking at my own leisurely pace.

28 Being prepared: just happened to bring in an extra bag to work which turned out to be super useful as I needed to bring my laptop home.