Me too. Let’s just take a breath together.

Letting Ourselves Off the Hook of Gratitude

I’ve been writing a series of these about difficult times and grief. After last week I declared that to be the last of the series and I would move to more positive and feel good topics. But then “me too” happened. It is a campaign of people sharing “me too” on social media if they are survivors of sexual assault and/or sexual harassment. And it took off. It was overwhelming for many and brought some really difficult emotions to the surface. It is like a collective breath held in our chest. A collective experience of pain and loss.

I am listening and I know that what we need right now in our gratitude collective is not a swing to the positive and feel-good topics. It is to be here right now. In all of this. In the pain. In the loss. In the frustration. In the fear.

What is coming to me loud and clear is the reminder that we don’t always have to be grateful. Really. We don’t. Sometimes we aren’t grateful and that’s just the reality. And that is OK.

So right now just notice what is alive in you. Are you holding your breath? Are you tense? Are tears waiting to stream down your cheeks? Are you angry? Are you frustrated? Are you happy? Are you grateful? Are you devastated?

Take a deep breath. Inhale through your nose. Then exhale deeply and fully through your mouth.

Allow yourself to just be what you are right now. Accept your mindset. Accept your feelings. Accept how your body feels. Accept. Accept. Accept.

And remember: You don’t have to find love and gratitude every single moment for every painful thing.

Just be.

Just breathe.
 
 

I’m not OK and you’re not OK. But that’s OK. ~Elisabeth Kuebler-Ross

 
My name is Antonia Montoya, born, raised, and gratefully living in Albuquerque, NM. When we notice, appreciate, and share our gratitude it grows exponentially right before our very grateful eyes. I hope you will join our gratitude collective.

JOIN US IN GRATITUDE