Gratitude is addictive!

So, the New Moon has passed and I am feeling like I am ready to take over the world. I have been experimenting with positivity and over the top gratitude. I am talking about the kind of gratitude that makes you dizzy with joy and drunk off the possibilities. My life since the summer has had moments that remind me of the old school TV show Good Times. While the show is one of my favorites, if you have ever watched it you know how the family is always being challenged with situations that keep them from moving on up.
My Good Times: The stress of losing a job and household income, the bills, adjusting to being a stay at home mama with a 4 year old that likes to wrestle and ask 1 million questions daily, being away from my family and friends in Chicago, feeling isolated, car troubles, etc., etc. But, through the storm I have hypnotized myself into this positivity frenzy. My husband commented that he is so amazed at how positive and chipper I have been through everything. My debit card number has been stolen twice and when the bank called to let me know I just laughed and blasted my Pandora Gospel station and kept it moving. I have seen what stressing can do to me so I have decided that no matter what I will stay positive. My health and quality of life depends on it. During this grateful marathon a few things have helped me along the way:

1. Limiting social media: I deleted my facebook account. For me, it was becoming too many voices, comments and commentary about a lot of things that really didnt matter to me. Energy becomes a gift when you are going through stresssful situations, so I decided that insted of logging onto facebook for hours I would use the time to create art in silence.
2. Limiting TV: I detoxed from TV for 7 days. I am a reality show and TV addict. I always have been since I was a child. I used the 7 days to sit in silence, go to library with son, create art, play scrabble with hubby and to write and plan my daily and weekly goals. The first two days were sketchy but as the days went on I loved it. Now, that the fast is over I actually have seen my desire for TV decrease dramatically. My interest and attention span for it seems less.
3. Creating art: Art has been my saving grace. I have designed many new cards for my TerrorChic
designs. One day I created 10 new designs. I have found it to be so meditative and soothing and the more I create the more ideas I have for new projects. Here are some photos of the new collage stationery I am selling on etsy. 

I have also received some custom orders, completing an application to be a member of an art collective and working on a new decoupage wooden box inspired by Ancient Egypt. I am loving the collage work and now want to start experimenting with embroidery, embossing and letter pressing.

I used to journal daily and part of the journaling was a gratitude exercise. I will be starting this back daily. So my grateful list for this week:

1. Having a part time job at a theater. Being around artists and individuals who put so much care into 
    storytelling and art is inspiring.
2.  Health insurance
3. My friends Sonja and Zahra who have been so beautiful in helping me out with childcare since I
    have no family here to be the village. My village is growing.
4. Groceries
5. Simply Orange with Pineapple
6. The ability to walk and run
7. Sunshine and 70 degree weather in December. Whenever I get down about moving so far from
    friends and  family I step outside under the tall Georgia trees and soak up the sun.
8. Music. I mentioned earlier that my Pandora Gospel station has been getting me through the storm. I
    love it.
9. Loving and supportive family and friends in Chicago. They make everything better.
10. Coffee

What are you grateful for? How do you bear the storms of life? Share your techniques....