Thirty Days of Gratitude, Day 30: The Brave Year

We made it – it’s Day 30 of Thirty Days of Gratitude! Just under the wire, I got it in before December begins.

On this last day of the Thirty Days of Gratitude, I want to express how hugely grateful I am for this year off from teaching. “The Brave Year,” I call it.

Why “The Brave Year”? My “word of the year” last year was “brave,” as I explained here. And while I chose a new word (“confidence“) for 2014, I keep coming back to “brave” as a mantra.

This year, I took a big leap, as explained here, to take a year off from teaching. Here’s how I described it then:

What am I going to do during this year?  I am going to write – and hopefully grow – this blog. I’m going to do projects and write about them. I’m going to play with my kids and help them with their homework. I’m going to have weekends without worrying about grading papers or prepping for class. I’m going to finally, really, truly BREATHE.

The night we made the decision – and I say WE because Dear Husband is a rock star who is graciously and selflessly helping me to do this – was the best I had slept in probably 20 years. I’m serious. I could breathe. The elephant on my chest had left the building. I could breathe.

Breathing is good, people.

And I have done all those things so far, during this year away from teaching. I have grown the blog (thank you!). I have done projects and written about them. I have played with my kids more and helped them with their homework. I have enjoyed my weekends like never before.

I breathe. Normal, life-affirming, lovely breaths. Usually while painting, using a power tool, decorating, or writing. It is so, so good.

So today, this last day of the gratitude project, I am grateful for this year. For breathing normally again. For getting to be really, truly me for the first time in many years. For Dear Husband, who not only trusted me and believed in me and loved me enough to have this year, but who is my biggest cheerleader and encourager always.

So, there you are. Thirty days of expressing gratitude. Let’s do this: don’t stop today. Tomorrow, get up and think about one thing for which you are grateful. It’s a great exercise that always makes the day a bit (or more!) better.

Thank you for following along in my Thirty Days of Gratitude. Tomorrow, I start preparing for my son’s birthday and prepping the guest room for a visit from my brother, sister-in-law, and super-adorable nephew. Then it’s on to the holidays!

Thanks for stopping by. I’m so grateful for you all.