My coffee maker, heat in the apartment, running water, my pinky toe...

What do all of these have in common? They are all things that I wake up each morning and expect to just work. Until they don't.

I broke my pinky toe this week and it forced me to slow my life way down. To the point where I had to hobble from place to place and be extremely aware of all of the obstacles in front of me.

Those of you who know me well, know that I move fast and with purpose, so it was painful, literally and figuratively.

One silly little toe that really only serves to round out the foot so we don't fall over. How is it possible that it could hurt so much and disrupt the rhythm of my entire life?

There's a saying that came to mind as I hobbled around the other day getting ready for work - "What would you have if you woke up in the morning with only the things you thanked God for before you went to bed?" I'm not a super religious person, but this quote always makes me stop and think.

I try to start each day with gratitude as a general rule. But the gratitude I generally express is at a macro level, and I'm now realizing that it should be at a micro one. I should be expressing gratitude for all of the little things that make up my world and allow me to enjoy the amazing life I have.

It sometimes seems that we expect that our lives need to be made up of grand experiences, larger-than-life moments, and huge accomplishments to be happy.

And those are all good, but in truth, life is really about the little things. A cozy blanket and a hot cup of coffee on a cold morning, eyes that can see and ears that can listen, arms that can hug, a hot shower after a long day, a warm bed to sleep in, good friends to talk to about everything or nothing at all, and the list goes on...

So, starting today, I'm committing to being more grateful for all of the little things. And to slowing down a bit and looking around me, instead of rushing from one place to another like I typically do.

Thank you pinky toe, for being more than just a foot stabilizer for me this week. May the lessons I learned stay with me long after the bruises heal!

#grateful #beautifullife #riseabove #perspective