Welcome to Day 9 of the Wellbeing 9-a-Day blog! Yesterday, we continued looking at the habits contained within Your Fitness, focusing on Learning to improve your mental fitness. In today’s blog, we are going to shine a spotlight on exercising our positive emotions by appreciating the good things in our lives!
The Gratitude Era
Just as it is important to exercise your body and mind, The Wellbeing 9-a-Day Journal encourages you to exercise your positive emotions so that they become a part of your daily life. Whether for a positive relationship, a successful outcome, or a new opportunity, the essence of appreciation is to take time to be thankful for the good things in life.
When you are stressed or busy, it is easy to take the good things for granted and focus on problems. The Wellbeing 9-a-Day Journal offers you space to write down what you appreciate and why you are grateful for it, even if it is as simple as a well-made cup of tea.
Many people live their lives simply expecting good things to come to them, or they believe they have a right to lead a happy and fulfilling life. But when you take responsibility for appreciating the good things, no matter how small they may seem, you always have a light that you can carry forward with you in the darkness.
Even in the worst of situations, there is always something to appreciate, though I know that this can sometimes be hard to find.
The Number 1 Cancer Nurse in the North East
For my journal, I have set myself the challenge of appreciating something different every day. My first entry was my girlfriend, Jervie, who did an amazing job of designing the journal, and an even better one of being my partner for the past five years. Since then, I have appreciated family, friends, and even a very handsome plushie called Chongo.
I saved one person especially for today so that I could write this blog about them. This exceptional person is Maureen Elliott, the founder of Live Well with Cancer, and mother of four wonderful children, the last of which is me.
There are so many reasons to appreciate my mam on a personal level – I wouldn’t be alive without her for starters – but the focus of today is the work she has done for the northeast cancer community. For more than 30 years, she has helped people affected by cancer all the way across our region, acting as a pillar of strength for strangers and friends and family alike.
When she found out her job in the Living with and Beyond Cancer team was at risk, she set up her own charity to fill unmet needs of people affected by cancer, despite continuing to work three long days a week while moving home twice and being an awesome grandmother.
I don’t know how many people out there are grateful for the care my mam has given them over the years, but I do know it’s in the hundreds, and I’m fairly certain it’s in the thousands. Call me biased if you must, but I believe Maureen Elliott is the number cancer nurse in the north, if not the whole of England, and I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise (not physically, of course, but figuratively).
Call to Action
Take some time to close your eyes (after you’ve finished reading this) and think about the things you appreciate in life. These could be big or small, obvious or obscure. To help spread this positivity, why not let someone know that you appreciate them? Expressing your positive emotions can bring light to the people you love, perhaps at the time they need it most.
This blog was written as part of a 90-day blog writing fundraiser for Live Well with Cancer, a volunteer-led charity serving North Tyneside and the surrounding areas. If you enjoyed this blog, please show your appreciation by donating to my JustGiving page. Every penny raised from donations or sales of the journal will help deliver workshops, events and support groups that empower better health and wellbeing for those affected by cancer, including family, friends, carers, and healthcare workers.
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