I am ashamed to admit that I have been feeling a little negative lately.  I don’t really have much to complain about but returning to work and the grind of the daily routine have brought me down.  But, I have found some much needed perspective recently and have come to realize how lucky I really am.

Since the AusBlogCon conference, I have been trying to read more blogs and have found some absolutely gut-wrenching posts which have put my slight issues into the shade.  I am determined to become more positive again and to recognize all the good things I have in my life, which actually do outweigh the bad.

I am lucky I have a loving husband who has stuck by me through depression, 3 children, dual diagnoses of albinism and autism for our son and nearly 13 years of indecision, happiness and confusion.

I am lucky I have 3 healthy children who, despite their quirks, are good kids who bring joy and exasperation and a unique perspective to our lives. I am lucky that my kids know all their grandparents and their aunts and uncles and their cousins.

I am lucky that my husband and I both get on with our respective in-laws and that they are there for us when we need support and assistance.

I am lucky I have the choice to go to work – I am not forced to do so and I have been able to negotiate family friendly hours. I might moan and complain about the endless rush to and from work and after school commitments but it gives me the best of both worlds and I am grateful for that.

I may have a job with no defined responsibilities as yet but I have been lucky enough to do a number of different tasks across many areas, something I would not get the opportunity to do otherwise.

I am lucky to have friends who have been there for me for many many years.  I am lucky that I have also made new friends who share the same challenges that we face with a child with special needs and have been so supportive and sharing.

I am lucky that I have also become friends with other mums at my daughter’s school and we have been able to share the many firsts that our kindy kids have experienced together.

I am lucky that I have the freedom to write about my daily life, that I can express my political beliefs without fear of persecution, that I live in a country that isn’t torn by war or poverty.

I have a roof over my head, my kids don’t want for anything and we somehow always pay our bills.

All in all, I am extremely lucky and should never forget it – why it is then, that it is so easy for us all to forget?

Why do I forever dwell on the few bad things – the fact we are paralyzed with indecision in relation to upgrading our living arrangements, my son’s struggles with his vision, sun exposure, anxieties and behaviour, the grinding nature of daily life with the running around and fitting in the housework and not getting enough time to relax, etc? When compared to all the good things they appear insignificant, yet they combine to really bring me undone.

A little perspective on a regular basis should help bring me back to earth and trying to concentrate on being ‘in the moment’ and the concept of mindfulness should also steer me in the right direction.  Feel free to also give me a virtual nudge when my posts become too maudlin – I am going to do my best to remain positive but I suspect it is part of human nature to dwell on the negatives!