gratitude

Noun

The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.

So my journey with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis to date has been to put it frankly, a f**king pain in the arse!

It’s affected EVERY single part of my life.

It’s changed the way I cook, eat and stock my pantry.  It’s changed my social life and it has COMPLETELY changed my catering business.  The biggest change, however, has been within me.

And even though I would not wish the symptoms that come hand-in-hand with Hashimoto’s on anyone, developing this Autoimmune disease has actually been a blessing in disguise.

You see, I thought I was ok.  I’ve always been a happy, positive and "healthy" person.  Or so i thought.  I watched my fat intake, drank diet coke and was even a vegetarian for quite a few years.  I spent weekends eating out at the latest restaurants, indulging in a little dessert here and there, because everything in moderation, right?  I did exercise that I disliked, but I did it because that’s just what you did when you wanted to lose weight, and really, didn’t everyone hate exercise?

Now….even though my days are constantly spent soothing symptoms, this is strange thing to say out loud, but I’ve never felt healthier.

Now.  I AM healthy.   The seasonal, organic produce I eat is doing wonders for my thyroid and my body is thriving as a result.  I embrace a moderate amount of protein and lots of good quality fats at every meal which sustains me, keeping slumps and cravings at bay and my mind clear.   I walk to work every day and practice pilates and yoga because I LOVE the way it makes me feel and NOT because I “have to”.  I rarely waste money, time and my precious energy anymore eating out at restaurants that don’t support my health AND I say no to invitations that will drain me mentally and physically because I’m finally listening to my body.

One of the practices I'm trying to turn into a daily habit at the moment is practicing gratitude.  It takes seconds to do, it's free and it instantly makes me feel light, grounded and content - A feeling I'm constantly striving for.  Did I mention it's free???

Here's what I've been doing..

Saying thanks.  Each night when I jump in bed I pick just one thing in the day that I'm thankful for.  It doesn't have to be grand (or mushy) and could simply be for the roof over my head on a stormy night, or for the delicious and nutritious organic dinner I just ate.  

Compliment.  Each day I consciously compliment at least one person.  It could be my barista for my morning coffee.  My colleague for their infectious laugh or even a stranger for their great pair of shoes.  At first, my commitment was to make someone smile each day, until I realised that wasn't fair.  I have no control over other's emotions, only over my own actions.  What they do with the compliment is up to them.

Journal.  Some days can be a little harder than others, and so I've found scribbling in a journal to be a wonderful way to get it out of my head, heart and throat.  A big lesson of mine at the moment is expressing myself.  I don't do it enough!  I'm someone who bottles it all up to "keep the peace".  I'm learning, with the help of Louise Hay, that the effect of not expressing yourself overtime can manifest in the throat...hmmm...thyroid issues anyone?

So today, I am so very grateful for the opportunity this Autoimmune disease has given to me to finally start to make healthy and loving changes in my life and to finally start discovering the real me.  

One of my favourite teas at the moment, that I tend to sip after dinner when scribbling madly in my journal is Pukka's Caffeine Free Chai Tea.  A blend of 100% organic cinnamon bark, ginger root, liquorice root, cardamom pod, fennel seed and vanilla pod.  Sooo good!