Tag: life

To Be Honest… (#216)

To be honest, I’m exhausted. I’m staying up and writing this blog but having trouble making the list and reminding myself of the lessons I preach. I need to remind myself that I’m human, that self-care is important when I feel like this. I’m ready to go home. England has been an incredible experience and this summer has taught me so much. In a future blog, I’ll sit down and take the time to write about the lessons I’ve learned but for now, I’m just grateful to be here.

07.26.18

Today I’m Grateful For…

  1. Sitting in the sunshine
  2. My audiobooks
  3. Second Chances
  4. Love and support
  5. FaceTiming with my cat
  6. The sound of rain
  7. Weekend hikes with my friends
  8. Time at the gym
  9. A couple of deep breaths
  10. New perspectives
  11. Patient teachers
  12. Handwritten notes and letters
  13. Calls from my dad
  14. Homecooked meals
  15. Learning from my mistakes
  16. Local Amherst pizza
  17. Teaching CORE again in the fall
  18. An empty campus
  19. Working Orientation in the summer
  20. Trailers before the movie
  21. Celebrating others
  22. Safe travels

  23. CLEAN WATER! Check out my project and see how you can get involved!

  24. Leaders of all kinds
  25. My family

 

As always, check out my first blog, 25 Things I’m Grateful For (#1) to know why I’m writing this list and why I want you to start yours.

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Featured image is not my own but I can always appreciate a beautiful skyline from a high up place. 

Weather Your Storm (#214)

Suffering is part of life. We all experience and endure hardship in one form or another. Even after a hard day at the office, a fight with a loved one, life isn’t forever perfect after we fix it. The storm will come and go as will the challenges in our lives.

We can use gratitude to weather that storm, to remain resilient and hold true to our deepest morals and values. We can be grateful for the tools we have and the support present in our lives. We can be grateful for the opportunity to grow and learn. And we can use gratitude to remind us of the importance of our breath. For with each one we are one step closer to overcoming adversity.

07.24.18

Today I’m Grateful For…

  1. Feeling heard
  2. Old Disney movies
  3. Catching the sunset
  4. Sharing love
  5. A clear sky and a full moon
  6. Cereal snacks after school
  7. Making dinner together with Eric
  8. Collaborative playlists
  9. My Peer Mentors at UMass
  10. A productive morning at work
  11. Fresh fruit and vegetables
  12. My Patriots hat I wear every day
  13. When things go well
  14. Old friends from home
  15. Understanding and patience
  16. CLEAN WATER! Check out my project and see how you can get involved! I would love your donation 🙂
  17. Trying new things
  18. Nights spent sleeping next to my cat
  19.  Safe travels
  20. Instrumentals I can journal to
  21. Waking up feeling refreshed
  22. Texts from home
  23. An empty email inbox
  24. Warm socks in the winter
  25. The here and now

 

As always, check out my first blog, 25 Things I’m Grateful For (#1) to know why I’m writing this list and why I want you to start yours.

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Featured image from Scotland’s Highlands. I would love to come back and camp out here. The mountains were unreal and the weather seemed perfect for the occasion. 

Making Time For Gratitude (#212)

Your gratitude list doesn’t have to take hours or be eccentric in any way. Sometimes, a simple thank you text can go a long way. Make time for gratitude in whatever way you can.

07.22.18

Today I’m Grateful For…

  1. FaceTimes with my dad
  2. Ice cream trips with Mel
  3. Time to journal
  4. Walks home from school
  5. Finding my place at BSU
  6. Good communication
  7. Leadership lessons
  8. Friends from home
  9. The summer rain
  10. FIFA games with Lucas
  11. Monopoly nights
  12. Local pizza
  13. Relaxing Sundays
  14. Peanut butter sandwiches before class
  15. Safe travels
  16. Climbing with Erika
  17. Sharing a birthday with my sister
  18. CLEAN WATER! Check out my project and see how you can get involved!
  19. New opportunities
  20. Friendly competition
  21. Soccer in the yard with my brother
  22. Indoor with my friends
  23. Friendly pets
  24. Another day of gratitude
  25. The here and now

  • As always, check out my first blog, 25 Things I’m Grateful For (#1) to know why I’m writing this list and why I want you to start yours.

    Featured image from the Scottish Highlands. The land felt primordial, I felt in tune with the earth and the mountains that stretched overhead.

    Gratitude In Honesty (#210)

    Today I must have journaled for hours. I walked the mile-long pier and found a bench staring straight into the endless horizon. I sat in awe of the mighty current as the wind whipped across my face. I struggled to keep my page as the wind engulfed my entire being. With what felt like the promise of the storm, I decided to walk halfway back to the mainland and found some cover. There, I sat and reflected on this past year. It was almost a year ago to this day I was moving into UMass and starting my first year of graduate school. Life was different then. I was different then.

    I’ve learned a lot over the course of the year. I’ve made a lot of mistakes and encountered challenges I wish I handled differently. Having the time to journal and reflect on these things helps me be grateful in a different way. I’m grateful others have shown me patience and compassion. I’m grateful to be given support when I needed it the most. Holding myself accountable is important to me. Taking a hard look at my imperfections doesn’t make me a perfect person, far from it. My goal is to learn from these mistakes and when looking back, I’m grateful for these lessons I learn every day.

    07.20.18

    Today I’m Grateful For…

    1. The sound and smell of the ocean
    2. My journal
    3. Vinyl music with my parents
    4. Square-dance classes
    5. Buffalo chicken and Patriots games
    6. Classic movies
    7. Monopoly nights
    8. A couple of deep breaths
    9. New music Friday on Spotify

    10. CLEAN WATER! Check out my project and see how you can get involved!

    11. My brothers in Sigma Pi
    12. My audiobooks
    13. Dream Team meetings with Jess and Carley
    14. Tattoo stories
    15. My teammates and good coaches
    16. West coast In-N-Out Burgers
    17. Learning new things
    18. Good news
    19. Driving through the Pacific Northwest
    20. Lessons about leadership
    21. A clear sky
    22. Morning runs to the train station
    23. Holding hands
    24. Sleeping in
    25. Right here, right now

    As always, check out my first blog, 25 Things I’m Grateful For (#1) to know why I’m writing this list and why I want you to start yours.

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    Featured image from my time in Southend today. The walk to the pier, the time by the water, it all mad for a great day. 

    My Clean Water Project (#205)

    In 2017 I had the opportunity to travel to Cambodia and it changed my life. I saw first-hand people living in poverty without access to such a basic need, clean water. Traveling with a group of college students, we built a handful of bio-sand filters in collaboration with Water For Cambodia. I know from experience how just a few dollars can make such a huge impact.

    This has influenced my perspective on life and my appreciation for gratitude.

    Many people around the world don’t have the luxury of clean water. Every day, about 1,400 children die from diseases caused by unsafe water and poor sanitation. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are simple solutions like drilled wells, spring protections and BioSand filters that help provide clean water to communities around the world.

    100% of the money will be used to build clean water projects, and when they’re complete, charity: water will send us photos and GPS coordinates so we can see the exact community being helped. Donating to my Water Project means a better quality of life for a real community of people. I have 77 days to hit my goal, let’s help change the world together.

    07.18.18

    Today I’m Grateful For…

    1. CLEAN WATER ((https://my.charitywater.org/jacob-ames/clean-water-jha))
    2. Good teamwork
    3. Perspective
    4. Honesty
    5. New music
    6. A little understanding
    7. Supportive people
    8. Singing in the car with the windows down
    9. Mentors and teachers
    10. Passionate people
    11. Healing
    12. A hot shower
    13. Old Man Basketball on Wednesdays
    14. Listening to vinyl with my parents
    15. Friendly pets
    16. Working Orientation in the summer
    17. Time to journal
    18. Spontaneity
    19. Time to get organized
    20. The smell of the ocean
    21. Sharing laughter
    22. My family
    23. An empty email box
    24. Time at the gym
    25. The precious present

    As always, check out my first blog, 25 Things I’m Grateful For (#1) to know why I’m writing this list and why I want you to start yours. 

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    Featured image of the Water For Cambodia team. A small group of caring individuals can change the world and these are the people to do it. 

     

    Make Space For Change (#201)

    Be open to new ideas, embrace different perspectives, and live life outside your comfort zone. Let the universe take care of the rest. 07.11.18

    Today I’m Grateful For…

    1. Safe travels
    2. New surroundings
    3. A good experience with haggis
    4. Learning new things
    5. Tired feet
    6. Friendly faces
    7. Delicious ice cream
    8. Pictures from home
    9. An incredible word cup run from England this summer. Sorry to see them go home
    10. A made bed and clean towels
    11. The warmth of the sun
    12. My amazing friends from UMass
    13. A few deep breaths
    14. Incredible sights
    15. Relaxing music
    16. A little understanding
    17. Good conversation
    18. Starting the day right
    19. My family
    20. Change
    21. Sharing stories
    22. UMass and BSU
    23. The sound of birds in the morning
    24. A full stomach
    25. The precious present

  • As always, check out my first blog, 25 Things I’m Grateful For (#1) to know why I’m writing this list and why I want you to start yours.Featured image from Joshua Tree! Loved my journaling during that hike and wrote a lot about changes I want to make in my own life.

    Taking My Time (#198)

    The very last item on every single list so far has to do with living in the present and today I felt like I did that. I wasn’t concerned about anything other what was right in front of me and it felt good, I felt at peace. I’m grateful for the people who have taught me those lessons and who remind me of them when needed.

    Today I’m Grateful For…

    1. Summer bonfires
    2. Clean laundry
    3. Organized music
    4. A good pen
    5. My SwiftKick internship
    6. Visiting my sister in NY
    7. Delicious street food
    8. Shade on a hot day
    9. Bandaids and sunscreen
    10. The smell of fresh cut grass
    11. Souvenirs from friends
    12. Talking things out
    13. The sound of rain on my window
    14. BSU Spring Carnival
    15. A hot shower
    16. Reliable people
    17. My beard in the winter
    18. Holding hands in the car
    19. Making new friends
    20. My process
    21. FIFA with Lucas
    22. Summer hikes with my friends
    23. A clean apartment
    24. Catching the sunrise
    25. The here and now

     

    As always, check out my first blog, 25 Things I’m Grateful For (#1) to know why I’m writing this list and why I want you to start yours.

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    Featured image is not my own but certainly somewhere I would like to be!