Today I am grateful I got to sleep in and get up without an alarm. Don’t you just love that about the weekend? And it looks like the weather is going to be beautiful, so I am grateful I will be able to spend the day outside with the animals. I am grateful I woke up today without any serious aches or pains. I am grateful I have a cup of coffee. I am grateful for my view from my living room windows. I am grateful all the animals that I am lucky enough to share my life with are healthy and happy this morning.

It’s Sunday, what are you grateful for? There is always something to be grateful for and gratitude is the best and easiest path to joy no matter what difficult struggles you are facing in your life. Everyone is struggling with something. Yet, how we respond to struggles is within our control. It is not always easy. And at times it may even seem impossible. But the truth is you are the creator of your own reality, through controlling and guiding your emotions and responses to all the things we face. And if it seems impossible to escape fear or worry, the first step that is simple, and really helps with our mental health, is to simply find some gratitude, even when things seem bleak. And if it seems difficult, or impossible, starting a gratitude journal, or even just writing it down on the back of a napkin, is a good start. And give yourself some grace.

If there is one thing I have learned over my life, it's that it’s not easy. No matter what you have, or where you live, or who is around you, life is simply not easy. We are here to learn lessons, and some are harder than others. At times it can feel unfair, and even overwhelming. We long for a distant day when everything will somehow be ok and all of this will be behind us. And it will. But where you end up is not some magical place of ease, there will be difficulties in that place, too. And it’s not that this should be discouraging, but, to give perspective. Because you can’t wait to be happy someday, you have to choose to be happy today, the best that you can, with what you have. Attitude really is everything.

I can say all of this because I feel like I have had way more than my fair share of difficulties. An abusive childhood, a difficult young adult life where I worked 7 days a week for nearly seven years straight just trying to survive, difficult years of college trying to get through vet school while still working to support myself, a terrible marriage which led to seven years (hm weird lot’s of 7’s in there are I write this….) of homelessness while I raised two young kids alone. With every difficult period of my life, I kept thinking if I could just get through this, then somehow everything magically will just be different and perfect and ok. What I have learned is that day never really comes, you just get better at getting up every day and putting your big kid pants on, and accepting it, and choosing to be a good human no matter what seems to be happening to you. That part does get easier, with practice. And animals. Animals help a lot. I don’t think I would be here without them. And I meet a lot of people who feel the same way. No one understands how much our animals can mean to us, probably more than me. I am grateful I have animals to be my therapists over the years. I for one would not want to live in a world without them.

If you feel the same way, then you are in the right place! So today I wish for you to get out there and have the best day of your life! After all, there is no guarantee of tomorrow for any of us. So it’s ok to be kind to yourself today. Think for a moment about what you could do this day that would make it the best day ever. Let the dirty dishes and piles of laundry not bother you in the least, and instead choose to smile, have fun, and I dare you to do a little dance today. That is why I always try to choose music for my videos to lift you up, and give you a reason to have a little wiggle, tap your foot, and raise your vibration as you start the day.

​Make the most of this beautiful day my Animal Loving Angels, wishing you all the very best, today and every day!

Check out my YouTube channel for a daily "Good Morning!" from the rescues and lots of free tips and training resources. https://www.youtube.com/@the1drq