Learning to practice gratitude and celebrate wins, even vicariously has given me more joy than I've had previously in life.
Today while doing hot/cold after a workout an elderly lady was speaking to me. I couldn't hear her over the jacuzzi jets so I closed the gap and crossed a few lanes in the pool, reluctant as she looked emotional.
As it turns out, she was swimming for the first time in her life at 67 y/o. Born premature and Vietnam and having a lot of health issues as a result her mother was always afraid to let her swim. She said that she was very weak and sick as a child.
She was crying due to the fact her mother recently passed and had the bitter/sweet emotions of pride for her accomplishment and hope that her mother was smiling down on her from above. This made my flippin day! I used to think that I was pretty positive and happy-go-lucky person most of my life despite the pain and depression. I am now realizing that I did send to dwell in the negative a bit much and not celebrate my own personal wins often enough. I've always said that happiness is found in the joy of others and being a fairly empathetic individual I still agree yet I am finally learning at 44 years old the power of the Mind to change our emotions and even physicality. Such a refreshing notion!