It’s almost 3am, and I have yet to get any sleep. My eyes are burning, my head is plagued with a slight ache, and I can feel the heaviness that a lack of sleep is going to bring to the rest of the day.
But I just can’t sleep.
Anyone who suffers from anxiety or general insomnia has undoubtedly experienced nights like these. For me, it’s a rise in anxiety that sets the insomnia in motion. And the lack of sleep makes the anxiety worse. It’s a long and tedious cycle.
But tonight, as I lie in my bed with sweet little feet prodding me in the back and tiny baby snores in my ear, I’m actually grateful for the restlessness. Why? Because it’s my body and mind’s way of telling me to stop and smell the roses. And thanks to the mindfulness journey that I’ve been on for so long, I can now hear my own voice.
It’s saying STOP. Stop worrying. Stop planning. Stop getting ahead of yourself. Be right here.
How? Start with gratefulness, and breathe yourself back into the moment. I’m grateful for so many things. At this moment, I’m thankful for:
- These sweet babes
- A flexible job
- A hard working spouse
- A house to call home
- A full belly
- Good health
- Technology
- Books
- Steps that help me get back to the moment
If you’re ever having a night like I am right now, and you want to get back to mindfulness, I challenge you to be grateful. Make a list, breathe deep, and soak in the good in your life.
Anxiety happens. Insomnia happens. Problems happen. Life happens. You can’t always choose those things. But you can choose to be grateful over irritated. You can choose this moment over the next. You can choose now. You can choose yourself.
And in choosing to be grateful for the moment, even if it’s a tough moment, you’ll be changing your life and experiencing happiness in ways you never thought possible. Even in the middle of the night when you can’t sleep, you can be grateful, and you can be happy.