I am happy to report that, as of today — some seven months after we began this ritual — my partner Billy and I still end our evenings by prompting the other person to “tell me something good.”
I wrote about this practice back in March. Since then, I’ve heard from a handful of people who have started their own “something good” routine. That makes me so very happy!
For background, Billy and I randomly began this ritual after hearing Chaka Khan and Rufus’ 1974 single, “Tell Me Something Good.” Since then, we’ve sung, hummed, drummed or spoken some version of that phrase to each other every night. (Yes, even when we’re grumpy. On those nights, the prompt might sound something more like, “Well? Are you going to tell me something good or not?”) Then we each share one good thing from the day.
As I wrote a few months ago, not only has the practice stuck, but it’s also impacted how I look at the world:
Over the years, I’ve dabbled with gratitude journals, daily meditation, and taking and revisiting photos. But nothing has stuck quite as much as my and Billy’s nightly routine. Maybe it’s because naming one bright spot each day is so easy. Maybe it’s because there’s built-in accountability. Or it could simply be the fact that the “tell me something good” refrain is so catchy.
Whatever the case, sharing something good before bed feels like the best brain rewiring I’ve done in a while. Now, when an especially sweet, funny, or happy moment occurs, my mind lights up in recognition. Something good! There it is! I file that moment away, ready to share at the end of the day.
Some days, I have a stockpile of moments to share. At the end of a really good day, picking just one highlight is a challenge. Other times, it takes me longer to find something to share.
“But the good thing is there,” I added. “This is the lesson I’ve grown to love. Every night, without fail, I find something positive to share with Billy. And every night, without fail, he has his own happy moment to offer up in return. Instead of going to bed straight after scrolling our phones or laying out our worries, we give ourselves the gift of basking in the memory of a bright moment.”
So, yes, I am happy to report that we are still keeping up this nightly tradition. But, like all good things, the newness and joy of it has lessened a little. As Amy Lau in the dark comedy Beef says, “Everything fades. Nothing lasts. We’re just a snake eating its own tail.”
While I’m thankfully not as cynical as Amy Lau (at least not yet!), I am admittedly feeling pretty depressed about the state of things. Lately — in the midst of a scorching summer, stressful workload, and other small complaints and worries that have piled up — I’ve been desperately looking for more reminders that things aren’t all BAD and DOOMED.
I suspect I’m not the only one looking for a little reassurance. A reminder that there are reasons to smile, to celebrate, to feel hopeful. That, no matter where you look, there’s always something good to appreciate.
So, dear readers, I want to hear from you: Tell me something good. What’s something that’s happened to you recently that made you smile or feel a little better about the state of the world? I want to hear your funny stories. Your sweet encounters. Your thoughtful gestures. Your community victories. I want to hear all the good things!
I typically save these threads for paying subscribers but, today, I want to hear from as many of you as possible. Floodgates are open! Let’s start pouring in the good stuff.
My baby and my cat are starting to become friends! My kid gets so excited when he sees our cat - he will laugh and kick his little legs and try to grab her fur (we’re working on being gentle - it’s a long road). Our cat is so sweet and chill with him. She’s cautious of the grabby hands but will nuzzle him when he’s not looking, or sit near him just out of reach and purr.
My five year old says he wants to be a farmer when he grows up. He has a drawer in his dresser that he uses to collect seeds that he will plant on his farm one day. (Mind you, we are city folks who have no farm life experience lol). So I cannot cut into a fruit or a vegetable without a sweet little request from him to save the seeds. He has visions of growing peach trees, apple trees, even avocado trees (they grow in trees, right?), you name it 😆
Friendship that you can show up exactly as you are. It's been a rough few weeks. Just one thing on top of another that finally caused me to fall apart on Saturday. It was too much. I called my friend, and I went to her place where we talked things out, ordered Thai food, watched a silly movie, and played some games. It was exactly what I needed to get through it.
I love this! I have a similar ritual, and now I'd like to add this in for a while and test it out. Beautiful!
Something good: People are working so hard, everywhere, to do better than before. To take care of ourselves and those around us, to send so much love out into the world. And connecting with those people usually makes me feel so much better, whenever I'm feeling bleak. Ugly world sometimes, yes, for sure, but filled with such spectacular souls and inspiring people. Plus, gelato exists.
My 4-year old daughter, who can’t sit still for more than a second, wanted to snuggle this morning. AND, my 12-year old son (who is currently in the “too cool for everything” stage”, randomly gave me a hug 🥰🥰
Inspired by a tweet I saw during lockdown, my mom and I started texting each other something we're grateful for every morning. There are definitely days when I have to dig deep (then I usually go with "hot coffee"!) but overall, it's made us so much closer and more connected, and I appreciate how it's forced me to always find something --- because there is always something! My something good today is watching my 2.5 year old dance around her bedroom to this old baby toy she has that plays Mozart tunes. She was jammin' out like it was 1770 and it cracked me up!
I just hit 100 miles on my bike for the season (I live in MN so the "season" started in May for me). This doesn't sound like that much BUT I work from home and honestly, don't go that many places during the week so those 100 miles are made up of short trips (mostly under 2 miles) to the gym, library, a coffee shop, the park, bluegrass jam, etc. (some of these trips I do walk instead of bike to listen to podcasts, too) I love knowing how many miles I've NOT driven to do the things of daily life. I'm very fortunate to live in a place where so much of what I need is close by but also biking is so fun.
I'm currently sick with covid (it still exists!) and the nice thing is my two cats just know when I'm not feeling well and have been extra snuggly and curled up by me the entire time. I often wake up to spooning one who's squirmed her way in there and the other pressed against my back. I feel like crap but it's very sweet of them to care ❤️
Last week we got a note from day care that my son bit one of his friends when they were playing on the playground. Fast forward to today and he sees the friend he bit and they run and give each other a big, long hug. They are 2.5. It made my heart so happy two little kids just hugging with abandon and no grudges. I don’t know what I expected they are toddlers after all and it was a week ago but I just found it so sweet.
Was with my toddler grandsons this weekend. On Saturday, my 4-year old grandson went from tentatively wanting to float in the water by the shore with me holding his hands, to floating a little further from shore and a little deeper. On Sunday he went from floating on his dad's back off the boat, very tentatively to LEAPING into the ocean off the back swim grid into the deep ocean water. Even dunking his head. With complete joy and abandon. The evolution from timid and scared to pure jumping for joy into the water was beautiful....and something so good. :) I hope that image brings a smile to you today. Sending love and encouragement. xo
I saw Taylor Swift on the Eras tour last weekend in Denver with one of my best friends and I am so grateful to be alive at the same time as this beautiful artist.
Thank you for this thread today. I've been going through an extremely challenging month. Life changed on a dime when I went from being an extremely active person with no health issues for 11 years (since a major knee surgery) to suddenly start having debilitating hip pain. I'm going through the many steps of diagnosis to find a path towards treatment and knowing what my life will now look like. My gratitudes: my caring, supportive husband who has been a rock through this. My amazing family, especially my sister and my mom, who are there for me whenever I need to call someone and cry. Snuggles from my dog and cat. Good health insurance (which EVERYONE deserves access to, my god). The empathy of nurses. My ability to work remotely, another lifesaver through this ordeal. The view of the trees in our backyard through the windows. Summer sun on my skin. A cup of coffee in my favorite mug. The incredible hiking trips we went on earlier this year pre-injury, memories that keep me going. Being in a room with my family, laughing and feeling loved.
This morning I woke up to the birds singing outside my window. A reminder that nature’s alarm clock is so much better than my phones. The summer air is brisk and sweet, a reminder of my childhood. Wishing you all a “great “ day!
Hi, thanks for this thread! Morning walks with our sweet rescue dog Shep always produce a handful of good moments. This particular one was watching him step down to the floating dock to watch a small group of ducks drift by - he didn't seem interested in chasing them, he just wanted a better look.
This week I was reminded how much I love swimming...not like for exercise or sport. But just for fun, like when I was a kid. It brought me so much joy to swim like a frog in a nice pool on a hot day. I hadn't done that in so long!
For the past week and a half, we've been taking our 9-year-old to a theater day camp. The day before the first day, after wanting to go for months, he tells me, "Daddy, I don't want to go."
"What?" I say. I'm surprised, because he asked to be signed up.
"I don't want to go."
I ask him to try it out, for just one day, to see how it goes and if he changes his mind. He hates it the first day, and the second day too. The third day is a little more neutral. But by the fourth day, I hear him singing the songs from the play they're rehearsing, on his own in the bathroom. This continues the next day.
By yesterday, he's excited and looking forward to being in the play they're putting on, which is this Friday.
Sometimes things really can change, I've learned 😃
I first learned of strawflowers in the spring of 2022, but realized I couldn’t direct sow them, I needed transplants. Over the past year, I got the materials to start seeds in my basement, did so, and am finally watching the strawflowers start to bloom. It is magical.
After more than a decade of living across the country from each other, one of my very best childhood friends moved to Atlanta (just 2.5 short miles from my house !! ).
As a non-native Atlantan, I've never felt more at home here.
Today I had a short work day and I'm now -- at 1pm on this fine Tuesday -- lounging on the couch (my favorite of all things!) reading other people's good things!
I am stressed out since I have to move abroad and find a room, but, the good is that I'm moving since I got accepted for a marvelous internship. So, finger crossed
Jul 19, 2023·edited Jul 19, 2023Liked by Katie Hawkins-Gaar
My family is doing a lake vacation with my parents, all 3 kids, my sibling's spouses and my niblings, aged 1, 2 & 3. The first few days were a lot of commotion, and the kids mostly clung to their parents. Today the older two were comfortable enough to play together, and let auntie play too. My brother's kid, Augustus (Gus) is the two-year-old, and when something new happens his (already large) eyes get all wide, his mouth drops open for a few seconds and he goes "wowww". Super fun to experience his sense of wonder second-hand. My brother lives in a very rural area and there's not other little kids for Gus to meet really, so it's also been fun to see him navigate interacting with other small humans.
I don't want to be a parent, but spending time with little humans makes me feel so grounded, as if things are okay. I've been unemployed since January, and I might (have to?) move from the city back to my hometown for the winter. Knowing that I'd be able to spend a lot of time with my nephew is the only thing that makes that idea bearable.
Something lately that has been happening to me is that we have been struggling financially. I had some down days about it and mentioned to one of the managers where I work about it. I told her that I will probably have to get a second job otherwise we won't be able to pay rent. The next day that I worked she told me that her and the store manager will try and see if they can arrange something at work so that I have more hours. This made me tear up with gratitude that these people who I have only known for four months would do this for me. There are still good people in this world.
In January, I read a post from Tyler Knott Gregson, about "one tiny perfect thing" and capturing it every day. Since then, I have kept a little journal of "one tiny perfect thing" - and every morning I write the previous day's thing. Sometimes I include a photo, or a drawing, other days just a written sentence or two. It's my favorite ritual now, and I often find myself flipping through it just to see previous day's entries. I love it. This post reminded me of that, and I love your ritual, too. But, being single, I have to stick to my journal! As for my good thing, the other day, I woke up to my dog snuggled into my neck. It was pure perfection, the cuddle.
At a family gathering earlier this month, I had fun playing with my four year old niece in the pool. She threw plastic toys, and I waited until they sank to the bottom, dove down to get them, handed them back to her.
Also, I belong to an online group of Bruce Springsteen fans called Spring-Nuts. Bruce is currently touring, and in addition to their joy of being at the concerts members are sharing heartwarming stories of giving away tickets they can’t use to strangers, providing free housing after the show to someone whose prior arrangements fell through at the last minute, etc
I experienced an unexpected kindness myself when a couple gave me a ride back to my lodging after one concert so I didn’t have to pay for an Uber.
I also get good news stories every week via email thanks to CNN’s Good Stuff newsletter.
I love this. Reminds me of something my old boss has her whole team do every Monday morning called "Why Are We Awesome" where we go around the room and shout out a colleague, ourselves, our teams, the world, the company, whatever... just a way to kick off the week in celebration. I'm no longer at the job, but I did start doing it with a girlfriend of mine and it's such a wonderful practice.
I’m turning my boys’ bedroom into my own den space - the new sleeper sofa came yesterday, so the kids still have beds! This morning I saw the red Fox that’s been living in the area this year. So pretty!
And…. The farmer husband is gone so I’m getting ready to jump on a combine in a little bit! (That one definitely makes my kids smile!!)
I will share my post from yesterday here https://waywardyogini.substack.com/p/monday-morning-cup-of-thoughts-894 since it was about this very subject, finding happiness and gratitude. Hope you enjoy. And I did love hearing about your nightly ritual in a prior post. We might need to try that!
I love your writing, it makes me happy, so thank you for sharing your love with the world! And this idea of sharing something good, makes me want to try it out too ;-)
Other than that, I find it hard to choose, because there are so many good and funny things happening in a day at the moment. But something really good is the fact that since I started loving myself unconditionally the world has become such a beautiful place with so many beautiful people and so much to be happy about...
I managed to get a ticket to go see Taylor Swift (huge fan since 19yo) at Anfield (the stadium of the football club I've been supporting since 10yo)! I cried so much when the payment went through and I got the confirmation window.
I no longer create stories about how my life is going or how whatever situation I'm in will turn out based on my (temporary) feelings. Well - when I do that, I catch myself much quicker now! And I just let my feelings be. I may try to move the energy (through things like exercising, dancing, or breathwork) or I just feel them in my body. In the past, when I'd, say, wake up feeling depressed, I'd tell myself that I'd feel like this my entire life, or that I'd be alone forever, or that I'd never be understood, or that my co-workers didn't like me, or I was a burden on everyone, or something along those lines. I feel much more grounded, not doing that as much as I did in the past, and also much more capable, as a person. It feels... freeing, and relieving. Like a breath of fresh air, and a sigh, all in one.
My something good is a big one - my boyfriend and I managed to find and buy a house in a really tough housing market. I’m a young widow like you Katie (first husband died of cancer when I was 30) so it’s a bittersweet big moment for me of stepping into a whole new part of my life. But mostly I’m so excited to have bedrooms and a bathtub and a backyard all of our own.
I just saw a really chonky bird on my back deck. I mean CHONKY! It was very cute and made me giggle.
Simple, but delightful.
I adopted an 8 year old golden retriever from a puppy mill. She is loving her new life and she makes me get out of bed in the morning.
My baby and my cat are starting to become friends! My kid gets so excited when he sees our cat - he will laugh and kick his little legs and try to grab her fur (we’re working on being gentle - it’s a long road). Our cat is so sweet and chill with him. She’s cautious of the grabby hands but will nuzzle him when he’s not looking, or sit near him just out of reach and purr.
My five year old says he wants to be a farmer when he grows up. He has a drawer in his dresser that he uses to collect seeds that he will plant on his farm one day. (Mind you, we are city folks who have no farm life experience lol). So I cannot cut into a fruit or a vegetable without a sweet little request from him to save the seeds. He has visions of growing peach trees, apple trees, even avocado trees (they grow in trees, right?), you name it 😆
Friendship that you can show up exactly as you are. It's been a rough few weeks. Just one thing on top of another that finally caused me to fall apart on Saturday. It was too much. I called my friend, and I went to her place where we talked things out, ordered Thai food, watched a silly movie, and played some games. It was exactly what I needed to get through it.
I love this! I have a similar ritual, and now I'd like to add this in for a while and test it out. Beautiful!
Something good: People are working so hard, everywhere, to do better than before. To take care of ourselves and those around us, to send so much love out into the world. And connecting with those people usually makes me feel so much better, whenever I'm feeling bleak. Ugly world sometimes, yes, for sure, but filled with such spectacular souls and inspiring people. Plus, gelato exists.
My 4-year old daughter, who can’t sit still for more than a second, wanted to snuggle this morning. AND, my 12-year old son (who is currently in the “too cool for everything” stage”, randomly gave me a hug 🥰🥰
Inspired by a tweet I saw during lockdown, my mom and I started texting each other something we're grateful for every morning. There are definitely days when I have to dig deep (then I usually go with "hot coffee"!) but overall, it's made us so much closer and more connected, and I appreciate how it's forced me to always find something --- because there is always something! My something good today is watching my 2.5 year old dance around her bedroom to this old baby toy she has that plays Mozart tunes. She was jammin' out like it was 1770 and it cracked me up!
My sister and I went on a 9-mile hike yesterday! (We only did 2/3 of it, but it was still plenty of exercise.)
I just hit 100 miles on my bike for the season (I live in MN so the "season" started in May for me). This doesn't sound like that much BUT I work from home and honestly, don't go that many places during the week so those 100 miles are made up of short trips (mostly under 2 miles) to the gym, library, a coffee shop, the park, bluegrass jam, etc. (some of these trips I do walk instead of bike to listen to podcasts, too) I love knowing how many miles I've NOT driven to do the things of daily life. I'm very fortunate to live in a place where so much of what I need is close by but also biking is so fun.
My 2.5 year old is working on counting. Last night: "One, two, three, four, five, six, ten, cinco!"
I'm currently sick with covid (it still exists!) and the nice thing is my two cats just know when I'm not feeling well and have been extra snuggly and curled up by me the entire time. I often wake up to spooning one who's squirmed her way in there and the other pressed against my back. I feel like crap but it's very sweet of them to care ❤️
Last week we got a note from day care that my son bit one of his friends when they were playing on the playground. Fast forward to today and he sees the friend he bit and they run and give each other a big, long hug. They are 2.5. It made my heart so happy two little kids just hugging with abandon and no grudges. I don’t know what I expected they are toddlers after all and it was a week ago but I just found it so sweet.
Was with my toddler grandsons this weekend. On Saturday, my 4-year old grandson went from tentatively wanting to float in the water by the shore with me holding his hands, to floating a little further from shore and a little deeper. On Sunday he went from floating on his dad's back off the boat, very tentatively to LEAPING into the ocean off the back swim grid into the deep ocean water. Even dunking his head. With complete joy and abandon. The evolution from timid and scared to pure jumping for joy into the water was beautiful....and something so good. :) I hope that image brings a smile to you today. Sending love and encouragement. xo
I saw Taylor Swift on the Eras tour last weekend in Denver with one of my best friends and I am so grateful to be alive at the same time as this beautiful artist.
Thank you for this thread today. I've been going through an extremely challenging month. Life changed on a dime when I went from being an extremely active person with no health issues for 11 years (since a major knee surgery) to suddenly start having debilitating hip pain. I'm going through the many steps of diagnosis to find a path towards treatment and knowing what my life will now look like. My gratitudes: my caring, supportive husband who has been a rock through this. My amazing family, especially my sister and my mom, who are there for me whenever I need to call someone and cry. Snuggles from my dog and cat. Good health insurance (which EVERYONE deserves access to, my god). The empathy of nurses. My ability to work remotely, another lifesaver through this ordeal. The view of the trees in our backyard through the windows. Summer sun on my skin. A cup of coffee in my favorite mug. The incredible hiking trips we went on earlier this year pre-injury, memories that keep me going. Being in a room with my family, laughing and feeling loved.
This morning I woke up to the birds singing outside my window. A reminder that nature’s alarm clock is so much better than my phones. The summer air is brisk and sweet, a reminder of my childhood. Wishing you all a “great “ day!
XO
Alea
Hi, thanks for this thread! Morning walks with our sweet rescue dog Shep always produce a handful of good moments. This particular one was watching him step down to the floating dock to watch a small group of ducks drift by - he didn't seem interested in chasing them, he just wanted a better look.
This week I was reminded how much I love swimming...not like for exercise or sport. But just for fun, like when I was a kid. It brought me so much joy to swim like a frog in a nice pool on a hot day. I hadn't done that in so long!
For the past week and a half, we've been taking our 9-year-old to a theater day camp. The day before the first day, after wanting to go for months, he tells me, "Daddy, I don't want to go."
"What?" I say. I'm surprised, because he asked to be signed up.
"I don't want to go."
I ask him to try it out, for just one day, to see how it goes and if he changes his mind. He hates it the first day, and the second day too. The third day is a little more neutral. But by the fourth day, I hear him singing the songs from the play they're rehearsing, on his own in the bathroom. This continues the next day.
By yesterday, he's excited and looking forward to being in the play they're putting on, which is this Friday.
Sometimes things really can change, I've learned 😃
I first learned of strawflowers in the spring of 2022, but realized I couldn’t direct sow them, I needed transplants. Over the past year, I got the materials to start seeds in my basement, did so, and am finally watching the strawflowers start to bloom. It is magical.
After more than a decade of living across the country from each other, one of my very best childhood friends moved to Atlanta (just 2.5 short miles from my house !! ).
As a non-native Atlantan, I've never felt more at home here.
a nice chat with a friend that i haven’t spoken to in a while.
Today I had a short work day and I'm now -- at 1pm on this fine Tuesday -- lounging on the couch (my favorite of all things!) reading other people's good things!
Last Thursday I went out on a boat and saw puffins!
I am stressed out since I have to move abroad and find a room, but, the good is that I'm moving since I got accepted for a marvelous internship. So, finger crossed
I feel stronger every day, mentally & emotionally from following the good practices & examples from Allison Moorer.
My family is doing a lake vacation with my parents, all 3 kids, my sibling's spouses and my niblings, aged 1, 2 & 3. The first few days were a lot of commotion, and the kids mostly clung to their parents. Today the older two were comfortable enough to play together, and let auntie play too. My brother's kid, Augustus (Gus) is the two-year-old, and when something new happens his (already large) eyes get all wide, his mouth drops open for a few seconds and he goes "wowww". Super fun to experience his sense of wonder second-hand. My brother lives in a very rural area and there's not other little kids for Gus to meet really, so it's also been fun to see him navigate interacting with other small humans.
I don't want to be a parent, but spending time with little humans makes me feel so grounded, as if things are okay. I've been unemployed since January, and I might (have to?) move from the city back to my hometown for the winter. Knowing that I'd be able to spend a lot of time with my nephew is the only thing that makes that idea bearable.
A girls weekend of playing with art materials in silence. Swirling neon pink splatters! This ignited my heart.
seeing tiny frogs in the scorching heat near Lake Cachuma in SB county, CA
Something lately that has been happening to me is that we have been struggling financially. I had some down days about it and mentioned to one of the managers where I work about it. I told her that I will probably have to get a second job otherwise we won't be able to pay rent. The next day that I worked she told me that her and the store manager will try and see if they can arrange something at work so that I have more hours. This made me tear up with gratitude that these people who I have only known for four months would do this for me. There are still good people in this world.
In January, I read a post from Tyler Knott Gregson, about "one tiny perfect thing" and capturing it every day. Since then, I have kept a little journal of "one tiny perfect thing" - and every morning I write the previous day's thing. Sometimes I include a photo, or a drawing, other days just a written sentence or two. It's my favorite ritual now, and I often find myself flipping through it just to see previous day's entries. I love it. This post reminded me of that, and I love your ritual, too. But, being single, I have to stick to my journal! As for my good thing, the other day, I woke up to my dog snuggled into my neck. It was pure perfection, the cuddle.
At a family gathering earlier this month, I had fun playing with my four year old niece in the pool. She threw plastic toys, and I waited until they sank to the bottom, dove down to get them, handed them back to her.
Also, I belong to an online group of Bruce Springsteen fans called Spring-Nuts. Bruce is currently touring, and in addition to their joy of being at the concerts members are sharing heartwarming stories of giving away tickets they can’t use to strangers, providing free housing after the show to someone whose prior arrangements fell through at the last minute, etc
I experienced an unexpected kindness myself when a couple gave me a ride back to my lodging after one concert so I didn’t have to pay for an Uber.
I also get good news stories every week via email thanks to CNN’s Good Stuff newsletter.
I love this. Reminds me of something my old boss has her whole team do every Monday morning called "Why Are We Awesome" where we go around the room and shout out a colleague, ourselves, our teams, the world, the company, whatever... just a way to kick off the week in celebration. I'm no longer at the job, but I did start doing it with a girlfriend of mine and it's such a wonderful practice.
I’m turning my boys’ bedroom into my own den space - the new sleeper sofa came yesterday, so the kids still have beds! This morning I saw the red Fox that’s been living in the area this year. So pretty!
And…. The farmer husband is gone so I’m getting ready to jump on a combine in a little bit! (That one definitely makes my kids smile!!)
I will share my post from yesterday here https://waywardyogini.substack.com/p/monday-morning-cup-of-thoughts-894 since it was about this very subject, finding happiness and gratitude. Hope you enjoy. And I did love hearing about your nightly ritual in a prior post. We might need to try that!
I love your writing, it makes me happy, so thank you for sharing your love with the world! And this idea of sharing something good, makes me want to try it out too ;-)
Other than that, I find it hard to choose, because there are so many good and funny things happening in a day at the moment. But something really good is the fact that since I started loving myself unconditionally the world has become such a beautiful place with so many beautiful people and so much to be happy about...
I love the idea! I will start doing that as well :) so inspiring!
I managed to get a ticket to go see Taylor Swift (huge fan since 19yo) at Anfield (the stadium of the football club I've been supporting since 10yo)! I cried so much when the payment went through and I got the confirmation window.
I no longer create stories about how my life is going or how whatever situation I'm in will turn out based on my (temporary) feelings. Well - when I do that, I catch myself much quicker now! And I just let my feelings be. I may try to move the energy (through things like exercising, dancing, or breathwork) or I just feel them in my body. In the past, when I'd, say, wake up feeling depressed, I'd tell myself that I'd feel like this my entire life, or that I'd be alone forever, or that I'd never be understood, or that my co-workers didn't like me, or I was a burden on everyone, or something along those lines. I feel much more grounded, not doing that as much as I did in the past, and also much more capable, as a person. It feels... freeing, and relieving. Like a breath of fresh air, and a sigh, all in one.
My something good is a big one - my boyfriend and I managed to find and buy a house in a really tough housing market. I’m a young widow like you Katie (first husband died of cancer when I was 30) so it’s a bittersweet big moment for me of stepping into a whole new part of my life. But mostly I’m so excited to have bedrooms and a bathtub and a backyard all of our own.