Lisa’s Story – Every Day Is A Blessing

I have always been an optimistic person, always trying to see something good in every situation. I lived through abuse from childhood into adulthood, yet somehow I always found a reason to smile.

Almost twenty years ago, I became very ill. I would spend days at a time throwing up without relief, until doctors finally discovered I was in adrenal crisis and diagnosed me with Addison’s Disease. It took ten years to get that diagnosis. By then, I had to give up my nursing career. Still, the optimistic part of me believed everything would be okay. My body was finally getting the steroids it needed to survive, but both physically and mentally I became weaker.

In 2023, I lost my house through no fault of my own. My bills had always been paid, but I was thrown out with my children so that my brother’s daughter could move into my home. That was when I completely lost my sense of gratitude. I could no longer see the good side of anything. My mother refused to let us stay with her, and I had nowhere to turn. Soon after, I lost my grandmother, my most favorite person, and was even refused access to her funeral. I felt like there was no reason to go on.

Eventually, I began attending therapy. There, I realized I could not control everything happening around me, but I could choose what to do about the things within my control. I had children who depended on me, and I knew I could not let them down. That was when I returned to gratitude — and it changed my life.

I began to notice the good in life again. I started to look for the things that could make a day great, instead of expecting what might ruin it. Taking time each day to reflect on what I was grateful for brought more joy into my life. Gratitude taught me to be happy with who I am and where I am.

We are only given one life, and if we want it to be happy, we must cultivate happy thoughts. Gratefulness has transformed my life for the better. I now look forward to each new day and all it has to offer. When you look for the good in life, you will find it — and it will find you.