Do you ever just stop and think how lucky you are?

[ProverbialOuthouse]

I don't know if I'm just on a high or what (I suffer with irrational mood swings) but I often just stop and think about how lucky I am.

Example - a few nights ago I got into bed, got comfy with my iPad and thought "shit, I'm so lucky - I'm laid here in a beautiful comfy bed, in a lovely warm house, playing on an iPad with reliable wifi, a full belly and a class of clean water beside me". It's the little things. How many people at that moment would be trying to sleep in an alley way, hungry and cold and wondering if they'll make it through the night without being picked on by idiots passing by? How many people at that moment would be laid in a mucky bed, cold because the electric/gas had ran out and wondering whether the pennies they have left for the week will stretch to another meal? And I'm talking about this country (uk) alone. In other places the outlook can be so much worse.

Last night I went to grab the milk out of the fridge and a load of stuff fell out - why? Because the fridge is so full that there isn't the room for everything. I had another of my moments in thinking how lucky I am and said to DH "the fridge is so full stuff is falling out of it, arnt we lucky so have that?". He gave me a look and said "not this again!". But I can't help it!! I can't just take these things for granted, I feel they should be appreciated and acknowledged regularly. I wasn't always so lucky - there was a time when I had to choose between eating or having heating so maybe that's why I'm like this?

Not a goady or boasting thread btw and I realise that some people reading this may not be so lucky but does anyone else sometimes just stop and count their blessings over the little things? Or am I odd?

I'll try again:
jamesmollison.com/books/where-children-sleep/

Yes I often do. I did it this morning, while sitting in bed with a cup of tea having been woken by the sodding cat. I have had worse decades and often pinch myself. And I also often think about women in the past or families I see on the news. Life could be a lot worse.

In the last 5 years My sister and her family, husband and 4 kids have gone from breadline poverty to earning a 6 figure salary. Last year they filed for divorce. After sometimes feeling envious of their rise through the ranks I can now see that Money does not make you happy. It has changed them all beyond repair. It's very sad, they were happier poor

Yes quite a bit! I love cooking, and just made a Sunday lunch for me, DH and DSD. Once they were finished both of them told me it was delicious and thanked me for it. It's such a small thing but they always do it and it makes me feel lucky to have these two people in my family who really appreciate my small efforts

Yes! I hate the phrase but I try and cultivate an "attitude of Gratitude." It improves my mood and makes my much happier, optimistic and positive.

I think I'm lucky because I've never had go to hungry. I've always been able to pay my bills and usually I have a bit of money in the bank.

Or is it luck, because I earn next to nothing, so maybe I'm just good at organising my life so that we don't go without the important things.

Great post OP, we could all do with a reminder sometimes. I spent some of my childhood living in a developing country, although with a very privileged lifestyle. However, the infrastructure was such that I often think of 'essentials' like constant electricity and running hot water as incredible luxuries. I do sometimes slip into feeling entitled but am mostly very grateful - but for an accident of birth things could have been very different for us all.

I really need to try and do this more. To enjoy the moment and be grateful for what I have.

Yesterday I worked 5am until 10pm and had to drive 400 miles around the country and I was literally shattered and dead on my feet. I felt really sorry for myself, kept calling colleagues to whinge. But when I was finally heading home I reminded myself I have a job I like, a lovely car to drive (I used to have an old banger that wouldn't go above 40 on a hill) and great family and friends. When I walked through the door DP handed me a glass of red, the cat ran up for a cuddle and I could smell a roast dinner in the oven.

I'm going to try and change my mindset and finish the month without moaning.

Yes, I often say to my husband things like that. Especially lately with all the natural disasters going on, we're lucky where we live we don't experience such devastation.

Too the outsider looking in I might seem lucky. Nice house, money in the bank, time to do what I what but the only reason I have that is my husband died and the insurance paid out.
I am not lucky and don't feel gratitude for my insurance payout. Why should I,we spent years paying for life insurance and I would rather still be paying the premiums and have my husband.

Sorry to hear that Cantspell, that's awful. In your case I'd rather not have the money either of course.

I do this when I lock the door and know that we are all safe. There's loads of parents around the world would give anything for that.

cantspell2

At least 90% of those living in this country are better off than many in the world, something I try not to forget. I don't have to worry if I will have enough to eat, can afford or even access the next meal, have a comfortable bed to sleep in etc.

Yes, me too! I look at my children sleeping. They are fed, warm and sleeping in a dry beds. I think of all the children in the world going to bed hungry, cold, beaten, hurt, scared, etc. It breaks my heart.

I sometimes look at the dog, stretched out on the sofa, toasty warm, a full belly, never known fear or hunger and even that makes me smile. You only have to watch The Dog Rescuer to see how lucky and spoilt HE is.

This is a nice thread. I know my grandad- who grew up without electricity- couldn't believe it when he moved into a council house and could have light at the flick of a switch. He was endlessly amazed by that. For me, the thing I am grateful for every day is better mental health: I'm so relieved I can think clearly again just to do routine tasks, and grateful for a health service that for me there. And I'm grateful too that we have enough to be able to go to the supermarket and pick up by and large (within reason!) whatever we fancy without having to agonise over the price of a packet of chocolate biscuits or brand of washing powder: I know many families can't do that and I always feel a mixture of guilty and very, very lucky.

Every day. Most recently 5 mins ago when DH came home with the shopping and had bought my favorite toothpaste and wet wipes.

Tell me about it.

I thank god every night, and I'm not even religious!

When I'm having a rough day/time I try and remember this ....

Funny you should ask, OP, because earlier this afternoon I had one of my 'isn't life wonderful' moments. I get them often, in relation to small triggers. Today I got off the bus in the city centre and there was a group of southern African singers busking and doing a welly boot dance. It's a grey and dismal day today, but they brought smiles and sunshine onto the street, and I felt so happy to live in a place where such lovely, unexpected things happen all the time.

I lived my early adult life in poverty, always anxious about whether I was going to be able to feed and clothe my two young DC, and keep a roof over our heads. These days I never stop feeling lucky for having no such worries - I'm not desperately materialistic and I don't earn a fortune, but as you say, OP, it's the little (to us) things - not having to agonise over whether to buy a packet of biscuits, and being unable to replace the toothpaste until a week after it's run out (DD2 now grown-up still reminds me of this). Also, as I get more and more long-sighted as I advance through my 50s, I'm very happy to live in a society that has invented spectacles and makes them available!

None of this stops me from being angry about injustice, and campaigning for a more equal and sustainable society at every level, though.

We had ivf after ttc for two and a half years.. which I appreciate is not long in the scheme of things.
Every day I look at our twins and I feel so grateful. We won't be flush with money for a long time as I won't be able to work much (cost of childcare wipes out my earnings) but we feel so rich in many other ways that we don't care.

I try to, I really do.
It’s hard sometimes when you have chronic illness and pain, and when you can’t find a dropped kerb when in your wheelchair or you can’t reach the chip and pin machine, but things could really be worse.

I often thank my lucky stars just for having been born in a democratic western society, where we have access to good healthcare, sanitation and justice.

I do try really hard, I know that compared to many I am lucky. But I have an adult child with learning and physical disabilities and I'm so worried about the future when I'm no longer here. She'll be here without me and it breaks my heart. Then I don't feel lucky, I just feel sad. Extremely. And there's absolutely nothing I can do about it.