Week Thirty Two Sunday’s Grateful List 

Posted on February 7, 2016 by admin

Today I am grateful for visiting David’s parents at the beach. 

Today I am grateful for the amazing meal Greer and Robert cooked for us last night. We had terrine and homemade onion jam and then we had lobster tail with tarragon and garlic butter and a beautiful pea and spinach risotto. Yum – we were so spoilt. 

Today I am grateful that our girls were able to come with us. They are still young enough to be happy to come away with us. Unfortunately Nicholas had to stay at home and study for a big exam he has on Monday.

Despite not having Nicholas I am grateful that he is at home to look after the dogs. 

Today I am grateful that David and I managed to get in a short walk this morning. We had to try twice. It was only short as the rain came in. 

  

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Week Thirty Two Saturday’s Grateful List 

Posted on February 6, 2016 by admin

Today I am grateful for the beautiful walk I had with my daughter Lucy this morning. 

  
Today I am grateful that we walked nearly eight km along the Brisbane River. We walked from Milton to the Story Bridge: A link to my walk.

Today I am grateful that I have an iPhone that takes amazing photos. 

Today I am grateful that I used that phone this morning to take an amazing photo. 

  
Today I am grateful that Lucy and I caught the city cat from Kangaroo Point back to Milton. It was very fun. 

  
Today I am grateful for the delicious breakfast that Lucy and I shared at the end of our walk. 

  
What beautiful place can you enjoy today that is part of the city you live in? 

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Week Thirty Two Friday’s Grateful List 

Posted on February 5, 2016 by admin

Today I am grateful for the amazing world we live in.

Today I am grateful for the clean air I breathe.

Today I am grateful for the pretty city I live in.

Today I am grateful for my beautiful home.

Today I am grateful for clean water.

Today I am grateful for nutritious food.

I know I have posted this video before but it is always a good reminder of how blessed we are to live on such an amazing planet.

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Week Thirty Two Thursday’s Grateful List 

Posted on February 4, 2016 by admin

Today I am revisiting a post from last year. After writing down what I am struggling with yesterday I thought it would be constructive to go back to my last ungrateful post and compare how far I have come. So here is the post.

On the 10th June 2015 I was riding my bike, crashed into a barrier and nearly died. The injuries I sustained were extensive and if you are unaware of what they were you can read about them here – The Day of the Accident.

Prior to the accident as part of my normal daily routine I journaled. Included in the information that I wrote about was a daily list of five things I am grateful about. One of the injuries I sustained in the accident was a broken left arm. I write with my left hand so it became impossible for me to physically write in my journal and thus write down what I was grateful about. I already had this blog so I decided to use this platform to record what I am grateful about each day. This has been very therapeutic as I have stayed positive and it has been useful to communicate my progress with all my friends. It has not just been a one way form of communication. I have had constant messages of support and encouragement each day. 
I am an advocate of the benefits of practicing gratefulness (you can read about some of those benefits here – Gratitude).but I also believe in balance. It would be lying if I said I was grateful all the time. I haven’t been. Today I thought I would record some of the things I am not grateful about. I don’t want my friends to feel sorry for me nor do I want sympathy. I just think it is unrealistic to give the impression that I am grateful all the time. I would like to warn anyone reading this that the following list contains language that is unladylike. 
I can’t do anything about the following issues. The words I use a lot are ” it just is”. I am not the same person as the person I was before the accident. But “it just is”. 
WHAT I AM NOT GRATEFUL ABOUT. 
Falling off my bike was fucked and it hurt……a lot. This is still the same.
It is crap not being able to go for a ride because I am broken and so is my bike. I have been looking at new bikes. 
I can’t do up my own bra it hurts too much. I can do up my bra. 
If I wear tight jeans for too long the scar on my tummy aches. It is summer so I am mostly wearing loose clothing. 
I can’t lift my arm because it has been immobile for four months. I can now lift my arm and I am allowed to swim. 
I have had constant pain for 4 months – it is not bad pain but it exists. I still have pain but I think it is improving.
I have spent the last four months healing and as a result I feel like an observer of life rather than someone who is fully engaged in my life. I am much more engaged in life and really the only thing that is different is study and exercise. 
I can’t write anything without it hurting. I am writing again. 
I had to defer my study which sucks because I was going to be finished by the end of the year. I will go back to study in September.
I stopped my singing lessons because I couldn’t take deep breaths. I will go back to singing this term. My breathing is normal. 
I haven’t been able to wear my wedding ring on the right hand since my arm was operated on because my fingers are still too swollen. I still can’t wear any rings on my left hand. 
I can’t do weights or swim because I have a risk of a rotator cuff injury to my shoulder as it has been so immobile for so long. I am starting weights today and hopefully swimming next week. 
I get tired after walking a few kilometers. I can walk 12kms slowly . 
I am sleeping on the opposite side of the bed because I have trouble getting in and out the normal side. I am sleeping on my normal side of the bed and have no trouble getting in and out. 
I can’t lie on my tummy it hurts too much. I can lie on my tummy. 
I hate that I have caused so much distress to my family and friends. I still hate this. 
I read a lot that something good will come out of all this – that is fucked. Could someone please tell me now what that is because I am sick of waiting. I still don’t know what this is. 
I am not a natural athlete so any time I spend off the bike I know I am losing touch with my friends skills and speed. I know that everyone has times off the bike but I hate the fact that I may never ride at the same level again. I will ride again.I will ride differently. I will become a better rider.  
I am getting better and I will be totally better sometime. It is just a matter of time. So for the moment “it just is” and I am ok with that.  I need to remind myself of this daily. 

  



  

    

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Week Thirty Two – another “not a grateful post” 

Posted on February 3, 2016 by admin

Today I am going to put down some thoughts in no particular order about the stuff I am struggling with. 

I wonder if my accident was the universe telling me to never ride a bike again. Not only did I have an accident but I hear many stories about other people having accidents too. 

I loved riding my bike and I know I will love riding it again and I also know that I will be a different rider and hopefully a better rider. I also know it is a process. I am only at the beginning of the process of getting my fitness and my core strength back and I have no idea if in that process I might decide that there are other sports that I could take up. I don’t think there will be another sport that I get so much enjoyment from and I am struggling with the slowness of the process. 

I know I had an event that was life threatening but I didn’t ever feel like I was going to die. My father on the other hand is a vascular surgeon and understands how close I was to dying. Many people have said to me that they do not think I should get back on my bike but Dad is the one person who I know I have effected the most. I do not want to put him through that stress again but I know I want to ride my bike again. 

I talk about the accident a lot. I get asked about the accident a lot. It is part of my story now but I don’t want it to be part of my story. I often feel like it is someone else I am talking about.  I am struggling with how to make it part of my story in a way that makes me a happier person.

I don’t want my life to be different but it is. 

I want to make a difference in people’s lives – I would be happy with just one persons life but I seem to be consumed with my own recovery at present. 

I love listening to everyone’s stories about their exercise adventures such as skiing and cycling – but I hate it too.

I look down at my scar and I am grateful that I am here but I hate that I have a scar from my sternum to below my belly button.

I am grateful that I can enjoy music and things other than cycling but I hate that I am not on my bike. 

I am grateful that I can walk but I am frustrated that I can’t run. 

I am grateful that I have a wonderful physio but I wish I didn’t see him so often. 

I am grateful that I am not working so that I can take time out to rest but I hate that I get overwhelmed and teary when I layer anything on my existing health. For example if I get over tired, hormonal or put too many things in my calendar the wheels fall off. 

I am grateful that I didn’t have a head injury but I think I must have given my brain a good shake up because my decision making ability is still compromised, my cognitive function is slower than it used to be and I make really dumb decisions regularly. 

I don’t want to think about my accident but I have no choice as it is effecting my everyday life all the time – I still have back pain, I still get tired, I still am not riding my bike, I look down at my belly and it is all flabby and all my abdominal muscles have relaxed ( in a much worse way than following having children), I am not back at uni, I still take longer to get dressed, I have put on weight, I am not fit………and so it goes on. 

I feel guilty that I feel like this because I am here, I do not have a terminal illness and many many people are much worse off than I am.

In summary: I have had an accident that was life threatening. I don’t want to rehash the story in a way that takes over my life but the effects of the accident are still effecting my life in a very significant way. I think it is unhealthy to disregard these feeling of frustration, anger and ungratefullness. I need to intergrate and acknowledge that I have had a life threatening accident and understand that it is now part of me in a way that adds to my life and  in a way that gives me more empathy and understanding for others. 

So………I will keep talking about it, I will continue to blog about what I am grateful about and occasionally I will be grumpy, frustrated and not grateful. And I will keep getting better! 

Do you have something that has happened to you that you don’t want to acknowledge but that if you did would be healthy ? You never know it might help someone else in some small way. 
 

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Week Thirty Two Monday’s Grateful List

Posted on February 1, 2016 by admin

Today I am grateful that my Mum and Dad always made us say grace when we were young. We used to say “For what we are about to recieve may the Lord make us truly thankful for Christ’s sake, Amen.” We do not say grace in our household but I think grace was a very good way of stopping,appreciating and being grateful about the food we ate and who we were sharing it with. I think it is time to revisit this lovely ritual at our dinner table – not with grace but something that makes the family reconnect and appreciate how lucky we are.


Image courtesy of fiestafarm.ca

Today I am grateful that I am starting a month of no alcohol and no coffee. I dont know how I will go but I am looking forward to how well I will feel after probably 12 days ( before then I will probably be pretty grumpy and have a headache!).


Today I am grateful that I have been writing thank you cards today. I have tried to write these in previous months but found writing very hard. Today I have written more thank yous in one day  than I managed to write in the last seven months!

Today I am grateful that I can do up my bra! My frozen shoulder has restricted my movement in the last four months and it has been very difficult to do up my bra the normal way. In the last few weeks the range of movement in my arm has increased and I am able to put my left arm behind my back. This is very exciting news for me.

Today I am grateful that I am sleeping so well at night. I have had many times in my life that I sleep incredibly badly so I am grateful anytime I have a good nights sleep.

Today I am grateful for Melli O’Brien from Mrs Mindfullness   . She included in her regular email today a beautiful quote :

One of the most satisfying feelings I know – and also one of the most growth-promoting experiences for the other person – comes from my appreciating this individual in the same way that I appreciate a sunset. People are just wonderful as sunsets if I can let them be. In fact, perhaps the reason we can truly appreciate a sunset is that we cannot control it. When I look at a sunset as I did the other evening, I don’t find myself saying, “Soften the orange a little on the right hand corner, and put a bit  more purple along the base, and use a little more pink in the cloud color.” I don’t do that. I don’t try to control a sunset. I watch with awe as it unfolds.

 

— Carl Rogers

I am grateful for this beautiful quote and will work hard today on appreciating people in my life just the way they are.

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Week Thirty One Sundays Grateful List

Posted on January 31, 2016 by admin

Today I am grateful for Sunday sleep ins.

Today I am grateful for delicious coffee.

Today I am grateful for great books to read. My sister in law lent me The Never, Um, Ever Ending Story of Molly Meldrum. I am so looking forward to reading this story of a very iconic Australian.

Today I am grateful for Spotify. I love that I can search music genres and find a playlist that suits my mood. My favourite at the moment are Acoustic Mornings and Acoustic Afternoons.

Today I am grateful for airconditioned houses and airconditioned cars. It is so humid at the moment and I am so so lucky to be able to escape the humidity into airconditioning. 

   

 

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Week Thirty One Friday’s Grateful List. 

Posted on January 29, 2016 by admin

Today I am grateful for beautiful amazing messages. Yesterday I received a wonderful message and I have received many wonderful messages since June 10th. This morning I am just going to list some of these messages. They keep inspiring me and make me so grateful for all of you. 

“Hey Champ. Everything that happens influences us and how we are, people stress about that they will never be the same but that doesn’t mean that we can’t be better than before. Look forward and accept the past but don’t let it define you.”Gilly

“You are a positive influence in every bodies life you touch. I am extremely humbled to know someone as special as you.” Ken 

“I am offering to help you by riding with you……ride to get Jen T back” Karen and Merv

“You exist with all the right ingredients – compassion, mindfulness, gratitude, humility, honor and dignity.” Nicci

“This is the yin and yang, it’s normal. We’re with you Jen.” Mere

“Today I am grateful for life’s hard times which have taught me so much…….your daily grateful list is a gift and a lesson.” Theresa 

Thank you to all of you for reading my blog and sending me constant messages of encouragement. I am so grateful to all of you. 

We all need encouragement and love – I encourage you to send a message of encouragement or love to someone who might need it today. 

  
 


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Week Thirty One Thursday’s Grateful List 

Posted on January 28, 2016 by admin

Today I am grateful for all the people who support me. 

  
I have had a wonderful few weeks of beach, snow and cycling. Wow – I am so lucky! I have to be honest though it has also been tough. I have watched people doing things I love and have not been able to participate because I am not fit and strong enough yet. I have also told my story many times in the last few weeks as I have met new people who have been interested in what happened to me. It has been pretty tiring. I have put on quite a bit of weight in the process and I am feeling not so on top of the world. So I have got busy and I am grateful for all the people I am able to get help from. 

I am grateful for my lovely physio Andrew from Allsports physio The Gap who I saw on Monday. He and I have developed a plan for the next few months. This plan includes two sessions of Pilates, one windtrainer, one gym session, three sessions of walking and one session of swimming. I am going to busy! Hopefully this plan will be gentle enough so that I slowly build up my core to be able to support some riding. 

I am grateful for my lovely PT Tom McPhail from Suncorp PCYC. I am going to go back to do weights and concentrate on my core and upper body. 

Today I am grateful for Michelle Bridges. I have signed up for 12 weeks and as I have done her program before I know I will get great meal plans, shopping lists and lots of support. Hopefully I will be able to fit into all my lovely clothes very soon. 

Today I am grateful for all the people at Febfast. I have signed up to do a month of no alcohol. I am really looking forward to detoxing my body. 

Today I am grateful for my lovely hairdresser Lisa from Purple Daze. She gave me a new do yesterday. I love it. My family is not so sure ! 

  
Today I am grateful to my beautiful husband. He has listened to my frustrations in the last few weeks and been very supportive and loving. We are going to go and look at new bikes on Friday and I am so excited! 

And lastly I am grateful to all of you who read my blog today. I love all your messages of support and I hope that I am able to sprinkle a little  gratitude into your life and today you might think about something you are grateful for. 

And …..if you are struggling with aspects of your life think about and seek out people who can help. 

  

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Week Thirty One Wednesday’s Grateful List 

Posted on January 27, 2016 by admin

Today I am grateful for some very simple things. 

Today I am grateful that yesterday I learnt how to embed a video into my blog. I feel very clever! 

Today I am grateful that my three children went off to school and work looking well rested, healthy and beautiful. I am so proud of them and I hope that 2016 is a good year for them all.

   
 Today I am grateful that David and I walked this morning and that he drove the girls to school this morning.

 Today I am grateful that my hand has improved so much that yesterday I was able to write in my journal and plan the coming year. 

Today I am grateful for the rain we had yesterday as walking this morning was cool and beautiful. 

   

  
 

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