Photo by Jovan Vasiljević on Unsplash

“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.”

—G.K. Chesterton

Done!

Earlier this week I was surprised to realize that Thanksgiving is next week. OH. That means we’re just a week (or so) away from November being over. Here’s what’s been happening, Chez Catching Happiness.

Bathroom reno

The bathroom renovation is done (see above)! All that remains are a few odds and ends like hanging towel bars and pictures, and choosing some new decorative pieces to complete the space. It’s so beautiful and tranquil and definitely worth the weeks of chaos. It makes me happy every time I go in there. 

Now I’m sorting through everything we pulled out of the bathroom while the reno was taking place, putting things away and getting rid of yet more stuff. How many ratty old towels does a person need? It feels great to get our bedroom and closet back to normal after using them to store all things bathroom-related while the work was going on.

Gratitude Challenge

I started the Gratitude Challenge with a bang, posting nearly every day…but then bathroom chaos moved into overdrive and I got sick with a cold, and posting daily felt like Too Much. I missed some great prompts, so as I get back on track, I hope to mix in a couple of my favorites that I missed. There are still nine days left in November to refocus on gratitude. 

(Not) filling the void

After nearly three months without Tank, I haven’t found anything to truly fill the void—which doesn’t surprise me. I’m still missing him, grieving for the loss of his companionship and the peace and joy I found at the barn with horses and horse people. I’ve been to the barn a couple of times, but of course it’s still more heartbreaking than happy at this point. I really do miss being around horses, though, even if they’re not mine, and I’m making plans to go back regularly and befriend a few new residents there. I didn’t stop loving horses with Tank’s loss, and I don’t want to squander the horse connections I still have. Plus, the barn owner is my friend, and she’s so busy I won’t ever see her if I don’t go to the barn! 

What’s been happening in your life in November?

Photo by Donald Giannatti on Unsplash

“I don't have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness - it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.”—Brene Brown

Despite the current chaos in my life—or perhaps because of it?—I decided to join in Positively Present’s annual Gratitude Challenge again. I’ve participated in some fashion every year since 2014, but the past couple of years, my posting has been erratic. This year I want to post more consistently, and so far, I’ve posted a picture and short reflection on Instagram every day. 

After this many years of participating, it’s challenging to find a fresh way of talking about what I’m grateful for. It’s not that I’m not grateful…it just feels like I’ve been saying the same thing over and over, because the things I’m most deeply grateful for don’t change. I don’t want to sound like I’m just parroting what I’ve said before, so I’m trying to think more deeply about each prompt. Even when I fall short of my desired originality or depth of thought, I remember that the words aren’t the most important thing (a hard admission for a writer): the gratitude is. And I welcome the chance to actively focus on what I’m grateful for.

If you want to participate, click here to read Positively Present’s prompts. You don’t need to post your thoughts publicly to benefit, but it is fun to see what everyone else shares (if you do share on social media, use #gratitude30 and tag me so I won’t miss your posts! I’m @kathyjohn335 on IG). You can find my posts on Instagram, and I will run a round-up of my favorites here on Catching Happiness at the end of the month or the beginning of December. 

Until then, what are you grateful for this week?