This past weekend I was at a Warrior Coaching camp. It’s an intense weekend. It’s mentally tough, it’s physically tough. It is literally a camp, kids stay there in the summer. I like to be comfortable. I like my queen size bed, my 600 thread count sheets and 4 pillows… yes 4! I like 8 hours of sleep. So when I show up at this camp in Southern Alberta with a sleeping bag and a travel size pillow to set up on a plastic mattress of the top bunk I am out of my comfort zone. The first night the camp finished at 11:30 pm after an 11 hour travel day. I climbed up into the top bunk and tossed and turned. I was overtired and uncomfortable. I eventually fell asleep only to wake up at 3:30 am unable to fall back to sleep. As I laid there all of these negative thoughts were running through my head (not to mention things at 3:30 am always seem a little less rational than they really are). I was miserable. I wanted my own bed, I wanted sheets, I wanted proper pillows. The longer I was awake the more agitated I got. I knew we were going to get a knock on the door at 5 am and I was going to have to get up and do a workout, a workout which I was dreading.
Then I thought – what if I think about what I am grateful for instead of dwelling on all of these negative thoughts?
So I started to list the things that I was grateful for. I thought about how grateful I was that we had all arrived at the camp safely from all over Canada and the U.S. I was grateful to be there with these amazing people, who I had been looking forward to seeing for months. I was grateful that my 11 hours of travel were part of the fun of the weekend as I got to spend them with my brother and a good friend – great conversations and lots of laughs. I was grateful that this weekend was going to provide me with learning and fellowship that were going to make my life better. That was the last thing that I remember before the knock at the door at 5 am. Being grateful put me at peace, calmed me down and allowed me to get an extra (much needed) hour of sleep. (Oh and the workout that I was dreading – I rocked it! It was an incredibly difficult 38 minutes but such an amazing feeling of accomplishment).
I spend time every day being grateful. It is an important exercise that allows me to appreciate what I have and not take the people in my life and the things that I have for granted.
To name a few (but certainly not all), I am grateful for:
My family who love me unconditionally and who support me immensely
Living close to my brother and his family
Being born in a free country with access to everything
My friends that I have had for over 20 years who have shared so many great adventures and memories
My new friends who have confirmed that moving to Cobourg was the right decision
My Warrior family who, even though I’ve only known them for a short time, truly feel like my family
My colleagues who always keep things interesting and allow me to have a career without it feeling like work
My health and a strong body which does things that it sometimes hates me for 🙂
My ability to help people which brings me joy
My sense of adventure which allows me to live this EPIC adventure
And all of you for reading this blog! I appreciate you more than you know
There are so many more things that I think about on a daily basis. I am truly blessed and grateful for it all.
Finish each day with 3 things that you are grateful for… you will be a happier person for it!
I cursed the fact that I had no shoes until I saw a man who had no feet ~ Ancient Persian Proverb
*While at camp this weekend we were fortunate to see the Northern Lights. I had never seen them before… AMAZING! A fellow Warrior is a professional photographer and captured the picture above. I am grateful to him for sharing. It is amazing to have this as a memory from camp. Four Degrees Photography (www.fourdegrees.ca)
Make your life an EPIC adventure! 
Agreed, amazing Warrior camp! Thanks for this post.
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Awesome Lisa! Way to play FULL OUT!
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Thanks Brad! I was just journaling this morning about the idea of being full out. I’m trying! 😀
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Lisa – love reading your posts. I tend to let my life hurdles slow me down and get me down. Although a minor hiccup with my health recently, I have decided that life is too short to dwell on the stuff I cannot change and that I need get back to the things that make me happy. A little thing…I got back to hugging, really hugging, my husband and kids before going to bed. Terrible… I know. I find your posts very motivating. Thanks!
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That’s awesome Kim. Thanks for sharing!
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I love reading your posts. It makes me realize all the things in my own life that I have to be grateful for. Thank you for sharing.
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Thanks Sallie!
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Great story and a beautiful picture to remember the weekend.
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Hi Lori I hope your family talk yesterday went well! Here is the blog of Brad’s sister Lisa that I was telling you about. Christine
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Today I am grateful for post like this.
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Ah, thanks Shannon!
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Mm Amen! Gratitude is the key :). I am also grateful to have met you through WARRIOR. You are an inspiration to all of us. Keep on blogging!
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Thanks Clarise!
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I can’t believe you actually experienced what is captured in the photo – that is incredible!!! Sounds like an amazing weekend!
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Holly – I know right. Amazing!!
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So great to share such an incredible weekend with you and your brother and our entire Warrior family!
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The attitude of gratitude is one thing. Applying gratitude is epic. Thank You Lisa for being a part of my life. As little as it is, you’re a part of big things happen for me. I appreciate you.
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Thanks Derek!
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Tia, it is not happy people who are grateful, it is “thankful” people who are happy! xxoo
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