As I near the final stages of recovery from the flu, I have become a little reflective. It is pretty clear that I had not been getting enough sleep in the midst of traveling and committing to too many things. I set myself up perfectly for being sick. And the flu had an astounding way of putting an immediate stop to everything. Getting up was even a difficulty. I think sometimes it is easy to romanticize illness and think that the time of rest will be meditative and reflective. It wasn’t. Lol. My brain was so cloudy that I couldn’t think. My body refused to move.

It is amazing how being ill can make you have a very deep appreciation for your health. But in the midst of being healthy, we can easily lose appreciation for this gift.

To me, counting your blessings means taking time out of every day to simply say thank you. I always think of the beautiful quote by Meister Eckhart:

If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.

Gratitude is essential to living a healthy and positive life. So…quick!…what are three things that you are grateful for? Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to say thank you..creatively! Perhaps you could “pay it forward” to a complete stranger, or pick a volunteer activity that resonates with you.

As we practice gratitude, life becomes richer. We become healthier. For really, there is no greater wealth than health ;)

Photo source: My mobile phone! It was a beautiful day in LA — in January! — to enjoy a bike ride :) #Thankful