I’d liken my introspective nature to a paralysis at times; I am my own worst enemy. The last few weeks has caused a deeper reflection and repetition of my young adult life in my head. Fragments. Memories. Words. Years. Things I wish I said, or phrased differently, or didn't say at all. Things I’d rather forget. Things I wish I wrote down, or wish I savored longer. Although I cannot change the past, I can appreciate where I am now and the moments, lessons, and people that led me to present. In an attempt to maintain my usual positive mentality, and not collapse into an oblivion of Emily thought, I created this Gratitude List to remind me of just how lucky I am, how far I have come, and what still needs some fine tuning-- and maybe inspire a few others to do the same.
Written Expression. Words are one of my gifts. An extension of my voice, my heart, best articulated by putting pen to paper. I’m not the best at translating those thoughts into a solid vocalization, at least, not yet. I have little trouble talking to people, but when it comes to verbalizing exactly what I wish to say, it's not easy for me. I think it has something to do with my perfectionism and a pressure to find the exact words to relay my emotions. Because of this, I allow thoughts to bubble in my head longer than they should, and even though writing serves as a form of release, the words still linger.
I am always thankful of those who appreciate my writing, whether through this blog, letters, or other form of written communication. Those in my life who accept me where I am, who are open to reading my voice and my thoughts, even in times of disagreement, misunderstanding, and uncertainty. I wish verbal communication came naturally to me. I reflect, and things have left my tongue with the wrong words or intention, or a chip of attitude, and are just subpar to things that could have been better expressed with patience. I have taken steps of honest and transparent communication through my writing, and have been working for the past year to create an improved verbal application, but it is still very much a work in progress. I am always thankful of those who appreciate my writing, whether through this blog, letters, or other form of written communication. Those in my life who accept me where I am, who are open to reading my voice and my thoughts, even in times of disagreement, misunderstanding, and uncertainty. I wish verbal communication came naturally to me. I reflect, and things have left my tongue with the wrong words or intention, or a chip of attitude, and are just subpar to things that could have been better expressed with patience. I have taken steps of honest and transparent communication through my writing, and have been working for the past year to create an improved verbal application, but it is still very much a work in progress.
Healthy Friendships. It's taken me most of my adult life to identify with a strong friend group, or even open myself to the idea of what society defines as a "best friend." In childhood, someone you supposedly spend every moment with, never fought with, exchanged friendship bracelets and had sleepovers with each weekend. As a child (an only child at that), I was likely unaware of my introverted nature and need to recharge, and therefore, failed to identify with sharing that space, or conceptualize myself having, needing, or wanting a "best friend."
There was never an absence of friends, but maybe I was in scrutiny of the ones I did have--searching for this supposed "best friend" that never really identified with my needs. Friends have entered my life, they have left, and some have even reappeared. For better or worse, with the few friendships that have fallen apart, some of those whom I now consider to be my best friends have emerged from that rubble. And perhaps that was the purpose in those individuals' roles all along. That is not to say I was a perfect friend, I'm still not a perfect friend, but I have friends that love me, and who appreciate my presence, even if I make them take a picture everywhere we go.
We might not talk on a daily basis, but I know in the end, they always have my back. I know they're there, just as I am there for them. It goes both ways. We learn and grow from one another, laugh with each other, support each other, and listen with honesty and integrity, furthering each other to our best selves, even when we feel we are at our worst. That depth matters to me, and my friendships were not always at that level. I have finally reached a place in my life when I am happy with the energy surrounding me, and am receptive to finding that energy in a new locale.
Forgiveness. Necessary to my healing, but something that does not come as easily to me as it once did. Last year, I wrote a controversial post about how "I am Most Grateful to the Guy Who Gave Me Herpes," and really, I am. That experience forced me to grow in every area of my life. In my romantic relationships, friendships, career, and educational pursuits. Things I had ignored for years, or brushed to the side. I was forced to look in the mirror and reevaluate my existence and what I am seeking within myself and my life. It was a transformative year for me--I'm not the same person I once was, I think it would be a problem if I were still the same person in terms of personal growth.
I have loved. I have lost. I have forgiven, over, and over, and over again. Cyclical, my own toxicity. Even when people highlight the negative aspects of someone, I will seek the good. I've always held a healing presence. There were times when I acted from that place too quickly. I never gave either party time to reflect, I simply pursued a quick fix, a temporary bandage for larger problems at hand.
Some of these people are no longer in my life, but their absences are not indicative of a lack of effort or forgiveness. Continued attempts and failures to heal and begin anew do not equate to healthy friendships or relationships. Not everyone will lift you up. Not everyone wants to see you achieve success. Not everyone is as positive, caring, and genuine as we wish them to be, or know they could be. People can enter your life, and fail to hold a permanent place, and sometimes, this person can be you. I'm sure it was me at some juncture. There is no ill will to those who I have separated from, but I think it is important to achieve an awareness of how you affect others, and the effects they have on you. Like oil and water, some relationships just don't work, no matter how much effort you put into them, or how often you start over, not everyone is meant to stay in your life. Although there were better ways of navigating my separations, for me, these people served as teachers of pivotal growth points within myself that were necessary to my healing and maturity.
Passion. I see failure. I see mistakes made. But I see persistence, and someone who seeks growth, even though sometimes--most of the time, she has to learn the hard way.
But at the root of this list, I see passion. I see dreams realized. I love hard. I put every ounce of myself into my goals, interests, career, vision, and those who matter most to me. At times, probably a little too much. In my teens, I often lost my identity in others. It took several rounds of playing hide and seek with myself for me to learn, accept, and understand my value, need for space and independence, and appreciation for that in others.
I know some practice daily gratitude journals, but for me, these are current life themes that jump off my page. They offer a more complete picture of what I have realized, and what my current self-work is dedicated to.
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