Lovely Gratitude – May 2019 Gratitude Challenge

Welcome back to my gratitude challenge. It’s that time of the month again where I issue a gratitude challenge for myself and hopefully a few others of you to complete too. So far the challenges have included writing 100 things that you’re grateful for, going 24 hours without complaining and four weeks of photos of things you are grateful for in your life.

If you’re new to the challenge, but still want to join in there’s still still, please come and join in and embrace the gratitude! To take part, just join in it’s a simple as that. You can start from the beginning if you would like or start from this month. If you want to share with me how it’s going I have a hashtag to use on social media #LovelyGratitude2019.

April’s Gratitude Challenge

April’s gratitude challenge was focussed on self love. It was about finding something daily that you were grateful about yourself. It didn’t have to be anything you shared, I think it can be quite a private thing. It could have been something you said to yourself every morning in the mirror or you write in a journal.

I am going to hold my hands up here and say I completely failed at this one, which is rubbish given that it’s my challenge. I seemed to have a huge mental block and felt so uncomfortable whenever I went to do it and there was just no way I could do it in a mirror. I think it says a lot about how I feel about myself and it is something I need to really work on. I’m actually going to repeat this challenge in journal form in June so I will report back and let you know.

May’s Gratitude Challenge

May’s gratitude challenge has been inspired by something that I did in April actually and made such a difference to my mental health and well-being that I decided to make it this month’s challenge. I guess it is a more self care challenge than it is a gratitude challenge, but I think it is still so, so important.

I went on a photography course to learn how to use my camera properly. It’s something I have been wanting to do for at least two years actually, I did have a baby in the middle of it that put a spanner in the works, but if I’m honest I could have worked harder to fit it in before. There was always a reason, an excuse, and as a Mum it’s so easy to put yourself at the bottom of the to-do list.

So in May, I would like you to do something for you. Maybe it’s something you have been putting off, something you haven’t been brave enough to do, something you have wanted to do but just haven’t made the time for it. I want this month to be the month that you do it! You might not be able to actually fit it in the month, if you’re booking a course or to go somewhere it might not be feasible. I get it. But I want you to do the action to set up so that it definitely will happen all this month. So you commit.

I’m not talking about a bath with candles, or a pedicure – as nice as they are. Something that will help you grow or refresh. A course, a spa day, a catch up or day out with an old friend you have been meaning to organise for over a year, something in your heart you would love to do but have been putting off.

I cannot tell you how amazing I felt after my course, even now a week later I feel inspired and am testing out the things I learnt and referring back to the course notes. That time out for me has made me happier, and made me better at my work, but also a better Mum. Taking time out from being Mum, to give me time to refresh has helped me to rebalance.

As always, I would love to hear how you are getting on. Also please do check my Instagram stories as I do keep you updated as to how I’m doing on there. Please do let me know on my Facebook page, or Twitter or Instagram, whichever works for you.

The next challenge goes live on the 3rd June, hopefully see you there!