Reasons To Be Thankful and Finishing Last

There are so many things that I could be bemoaning lately. Everywhere around, it seems that amazing things are happening to many friends and acquaintances. They are being offered fabulous opportunities and getting amazing life changing news. They are buying new houses and going on fantastic holidays. 2013 was a great year for our family, but I haven't quite got my head around what 2014 holds yet, which is a little of a scary prospect. Having started two businesses this year, things are on the up for us, but we are not quite in a position to get that new house we so desperately want, and I am not being inundated with amazing offers of free holidays and great exposure such as other bloggers seem to be lately. I think part of the reason is that I'm not shouting loud enough. I am rubbish at selling myself as I hate to talk about me. There is that common saying that "nice girls finish last" and I think this is about right for me for my blogging life at the moment.

I did a colours personality analysis recently and the results were scarily accurate. They revealed that although I am apparently a big picture visionary and trendsetter who is ahead of the crowd and gets things done, my reserved personality means that I do not advertise my successes or like to shout about my achievements - sounds about right!  Sometimes I think that the most successful people are not those who are the best, but the ones who shout the loudest and have the gift of the gab to charm people - something which I need to get some lessons in!

What I do know is that I have lots of reasons to be thankful for recently - here are some of them!

1) The Magic of Christmas - Christmas spent with the girls is always very special. Although it's also a stressful time, I know that the period of the girls believing in Santa will soon be gone, and so we have to soak up as much magic as we can before it's too late - as much visiting grotto's, sprinkling of reindeer food, hanging stockings, arrival of Christmas Eve presents as is humanely possible, and this Christmas we really have done.

2) A great Hubby - I am very lucky to have a fantastic husband, who is a great parent to the kids, and who also buys me great gifts like my lovely Kitcheh Aid mixer - he is still in my good books for that one. I am also lucky that he will frequently have the girls for me so that I can accept work.

3) A lovely New Year. For the first time this year for a few years, we spent New Year with friends, drinking wine like real grown-ups! We had a lovely time and that's something to be thankful for surely!

4) Good Health - At a recent appointment, I was asked "what tablets" I was on. I assumed that the doctor wasn't asking about my technology of choice or what IOS I was running, and yes, he was asking what tablets I regularly take and was really surprised when I said that I am not on any kind of medication. Apparently it's quite common nowadays to be on tablets in your thirties!! I feel lucky that I am not having to go to the doctors every five minutes... although I am sure it won't be long!

5) The Opportunity to Study
This year I will be returning to further study after qualifying with my Diploma last year, and I realise how lucky I am that as a woman I am able to expand my mind with study, and especially at University. I am very aware that even a century previous, a woman at University would have been pretty much impossible, and I also know that women in other countries are still not afforded these opportunities, so I am thankful that I am able to take the opportunity.

So that's it! What are you thankful for recently?