We all have those times in our lives where things aren’t going just right and we wonder what it’s all about. I had gone through a divorce a few years earlier and while it was very upsetting to me on a faith level (divorce isn’t acceptable in my religion), I felt liberated. I had been in an abusive relationship and leaving was the best feeling I had ever had. So, that wasn’t my difficult time. No, it was later. I had re-married a wonderful man and had a beautiful daughter and while we had our up’s and down’s, nothing was really “wrong.” But, life just wasn’t turning out the way I had planned. It caused me to question everything. During that time, I had a good friend suggest I keep a Gratitude Journal.
I don’t know if any of you keep a Gratitude Journal but I can tell you when I started, it was difficult. I mean I only had to write down 5 things I was thankful for and I couldn’t think of one. Okay, maybe my friend who suggested I write the journal but since it was a frustrating exercise, maybe no! Ha! Anyway, even if I wrote I was thankful for air to breathe and that the sun was shining that day, well, that’s what it was. But, pretty soon, I could easily come up with 5 things and sometimes more than 5. And the things I was grateful for became more meaningful too. And surprisingly, I became a much happier person. Okay, maybe not too surprising to those of you reading now, but to me, at that time, I didn’t really think keeping a Gratitude Journal would do too much to help me. And I’m a therapist! I should know better. Ah, helper, help thyself, right?!
Anyway, back to the main subject of this post which is the blog I stumbled back upon. It struck me as I was reading that day’s post and searching around their site, that my passion is positivity! I hadn’t noticed it before but I love sharing funny videos, memes, and feel good stories on social media. I don’t engage in fighting with people online. I don’t see the point. I love puppies, and kittens, and goats jumping around in sweaters. I love sharing stories where someone helps someone else.
I had started writing children’s books that had positive character messages in them, but someone recently pointed out that there’s a lot of psychology in my books too. I have really been trying to figure out my niche. I had a Marketing Consultant tell me that I do Character Education. I agree, but I knew I did more than that. This positivity blog helped me realize that my vision is bigger than that. I want to encourage others to focus on the bright side of life. Be grateful. Love and help one another. That is who I am at my core. That is my passion!
So, inspiration is everywhere. Even in your inbox. What will you discover today that will inspire you?
Wanda Luthman has her Masters of Arts in both Mental Health Counseling and Guidance Counseling from Rollins College located in beautiful Winter Park, Florida. She has worked as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Adjunct Professor, and Hospice Counselor for teens. She’s currently a Guidance Counselor at a local High School. She is an award-winning, best-selling, international author who has self-published 4 children’s books (The Lilac Princess, A Turtle’s Magical Adventure, Gloria and the Unicorn, and Little Birdie). She belongs to the National Pen Women Organization in Cape Canaveral; the Florida’s Writers Association; Space Coast Authors; and Brevard Authors Forum. She presently resides in Brevard County Florida with her husband of 22 years and 2 dogs. Her daughter is away at college, like Little Birdie, she has left the nest. To download a free ebook, visit Wanda Luthman’s website at www.wandaluthmanwordpress.com and follow her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/wluthman.
2 comments:
Wanda, great post. I've been told by a couple of people and ready about the benefits of starting a gratitude journal. I still haven't taken the step though - not sure why. It's definitely not because I can't think of the many, many things I'm grateful for though.
Wanda, thank you for this post. You are exactly right almost anything can serve as writing inspiration. The key is taking action and actually doing the hard work of great storytelling (writing) then getting that writing published. Terry
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