I know firsthand how everything can seem insurmountable. But in the end, we’re left with what matters: our health and our relationships.

For our family, last week was a reminder of how quickly priorities can shift. My mind was reeling with ideas for Recap and Rambles #2, all of which came to a halt with a family medical emergency. We’re okay, and thank you to everyone who accommodated our adjusted schedules and last-minute cancellations.

As I sit with a blank page, ready to list this week’s lessons, one word comes to mind: gratitude.

Lesson 1️⃣: All the planning in the world can’t stop life from… well, life-ing.

Hard times can find ways of hitting us when we’re already down. But what if we leaned into the good moments to get through the bad?

Over the years, I’ve had an on-and-off practice of writing three things I’m grateful for, especially on the tough days. It’s helped me keep everything balanced and resist that insurmountable weight. This week, I had three gratitude reminders on repeat each day:

• I’m grateful we’re alive.
• I’m grateful we have a roof over our heads.
• I’m grateful for the chance for tomorrow.

I’ve found that these small pieces of gratitude are often more challenging to find on shitty days, especially if I’m in a rut. Gratitude on those days might look more like:

• I’m grateful that car let me in instead of cutting me off in traffic.
• I’m grateful my tea tasted especially good this morning.
• I’m grateful I can hug my loved ones.

These small moments of gratitude keep hope alive, even during tough times. And yes, sometimes I still need to scream, “I don’t give a shit—this just hurts!” when the pain is overwhelming. It’s whatever helps in the moment. All of it helps me restart my goals, planning, and tasks with grace for the next opportunity.

This coming week…

I am still playing catch up from last week, please have patience with me 😅 and I’ll be livestreaming about Warp on Teach Jenn Tech on Thursday, hope you can join us!

Last week I asked about what lesson you learned, this week, what is something you’re grateful for?