When we were struggling with infertility, staying positive was nearly impossible. It seemed like when we were trying for a baby everyone else around us was getting pregnant, except us. And after seven years and multiple treatments and surgeries, the prognosis wasn’t good. But when you are suffering sometimes the universe sends you a lifeline. And mine came from Oprah in the form of a gratitude journal.
I had just had an emergency surgery for an ovarian torsion in 2006 and lost most of my left ovary. And as I laid on my leather couch trying to recuperate, I saw her show. Oprah Winfrey was talking about The Secret, her gratitude journal, and the law of attraction. It totally made sense, but what did I have to be grateful about?
Turns out everything.
From that day on I turned my boring old journal into a place of refuge. I wrote down everything that happened on our quest to have a baby and included at the end of each entry the things I was grateful for. It started out with little things like my cat, or my favorite blanket. But eventually, I was able to find the gift in our struggle to conceive and started practicing affirmations.
Affirmations are some of the hardest work you’ll do, but they are so helpful. The point is to say statements in the present tense, to invite or affirm what you want into your life. So I, for example, would write, “I deserve to be healthy and happy. Good health is mine now, I accept it. My baby is growing inside me.”
You get the picture. Any topic, and subject, in the present tense. Capiche?
If you too are struggling in your life, or need to change your perspective, a gratitude journal is a wonderful place to start. The thing about gratitude is until you are actually living your life through the lens of gratitude, it’s hard to understand the abundance that will come to you. But that’s exactly what happens.
The secret to having it all really is knowing that we already do.
All those gratitude quotes you read? They’re true.
And that’s why I’m giving this gift to you. I wanted to share my version of a gratitude journal that I used while going through seven years of fertility treatment. And I invite everyone to print this out and try it for 21 days, enough to make it a habit.
And if you’d like to buy your own gratitude journal, ours is now available here!
I know some days you’ll be tired, and others the only thing you’re grateful for is the air you breathe. And you know what? That’s OK. Just try to invite this practice into your daily grind and watch your perspective, level of happiness, and life transform. Please click on the image below or download your PDF here.
Good luck on your journey to find the good in your life. It’s there, and ready for you to see and honor it.
Did you like this post? Then read more about Living Life Through the Lens of Gratitude.
Or inspire gratitude and kindness in your kids with this printable!
I struggled with infertility, miscarriages, thyroid cancer, lost an ovary to a giant mass, placental abruption and total bed rest during my 2nd pregnancy, etc… now I have 5!
So grateful for the journey because it made me cherish and TREASURE each babe for the fact that they made it!!!
OMG! I had a giant mass too! An endometrioma and lost an ovary too. You have FIVE kids?! WOW!! Lucky you!!!