5 Things I’m Grateful For This Month – August 2020

Hi Friends! Happy Friday!

I’ve shared my struggles with my mental health on the blog and recently I’ve shared that I’ve had a tough past few months after being laid off and struggling to get my unemployment benefits. In the words of my best friend Anna, I’m currently “sitting in the sh*t” which basically means I’m going through a tough time. But, I also acknowledge that it’s very easy to get into the “woe is me” mindset and I’m guilty of letting negative thoughts get the best of me.

Which is why I wanted to challenge myself every month and in turn challenge you to take a step back and think about a few things to be grateful for. For August, I came up with 5 things I’m grateful for, but I know every day, every week and every month is going to be different. So whether it’s one thing or one hundred things, whether it’s big or small, I just wanted to share a few things I’m grateful for and I hope you will join me and come up with your own list!

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5 Things I’m Grateful For This Month – August 2020

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1. Time To Work On Creating Content 

A bit of a backstory here. I started my blog back in 2014 when I just graduated from college. While some of the posts were really scrappy and I had a lot to learn, I would consistently post Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I rarely missed a post and that was for almost 2 years. Fast forward to when I started working at Cosmopolitan (I talk more about that experience here), between the crazy hours and the toxic work environment, my blog suffered. I struggled to keep a consistent schedule and a positive morale. When I left that job, I was so broken that even with the time to create content, I failed.

I’ve been honestly struggling since then to maintain a consistent schedule and get back that passion and creativity I had when I once started. As much as it sucks being laid off, I am grateful to now have that time to put into creating content whether it be sharing on my blog, posting on Instagram, going on stories or creating TikTok videos. While I don’t have a crazy big following and while my blog isn’t as profitable as my peers, it’s something I love so much. I love having a creative outlet and coming up with new ideas and I really appreciate having something I can pour myself into while I’m trying to figure out other areas of my life.

2. Animal Crossing

Animal Crossing: New Horizons took over the internet when it was released in March back when quarantine first started. My boyfriend purchased the game for himself and honestly I rolled my eyes because I did not understand what it was or what the appeal was. I don’t know when it started, but thanks to Eddie and my cousin’s wife, Haylie, I suddenly became obsessed too.

I’ve tried to explain this to my best friend Anna countless times and it never sounds cool, but I swear it is and I’m going to try to explain it here! Basically your character moves to this tropical island where you can customize literally everything. You can design your island, you can pick out outfits, you can socialize, you have to build items, you have to fish and you have to make money. It’s essentially like living your best life, going out and socializing except not actually having to. I don’t know if I sold you on it, but I swear it’s cool and I’m grateful to have had this to play for hours on end during quarantine!! Eddie even got me the cutest little pink Nintendo Switch Lite so I could play games!

3. My Newfound Cooking Skills

Am I going on Top Chef anytime soon? Probably not, but since quarantine started I have learned to make some amazing quesadillas and empanadas, my mom has made restaurant quality shrimp scampi and the most delicious Vietnamese food, and my boyfriend makes some pretty good smoothies and milkshakes. I understand that’s not groundbreaking, but that was something we didn’t know how to do prior to quarantine or would have just gone out and spent money buying it. So I’m grateful we learned some new recipes in quarantine!

4. Books! Books! Books! 

When I was younger, my mom used to read to me before I went to sleep and I honestly think that’s where my love of reading came from. This year I had a goal of reading at least 30 books. I’m more than halfway to my goal, but thanks to quarantine, I’ve had so much more time to read. I’ve read some amazing books so far this year (which I’ve reviewed here and here) and I just really think there is nothing better than getting out of your head and getting lost in a book.

5. My Family 

Saved the best for last of course. Regardless of whatever I’m going through, I’m so grateful to have the family I do.

My mom has been my source of strength my whole life, but that especially rings true now during this mess of a year. Just her saying “it’s okay” or “we’ll be fine” will instantly calm me down. She’s been my biggest supporter in everything that I do especially when it comes to creating content and I couldn’t be more grateful to her.

My boyfriend, Eddie has been my calm in this storm. I can not tell you the amount of panic attacks and tears that he has listened to and just let me talk and cry as he held me. The countless Trader Joe’s runs he did for me, the Amazon orders he supported, he’s just incredible.

My cousin Jeffrey & his wife Haylie have been amazing. I can talk to my cousin for 5 minutes and he will have me smiling and laughing. He is my favorite person. And his wife is truly my long lost sister who is also obsessed with Disney and Animal Crossing.

And I’m so grateful for my extended family. When I was first laid off, my Aunt Lo sent me the nicest text telling me everything was going to be okay and everything happens for a reason and it just meant a lot to me. And my family in Vietnam went out of their way to send well wishes and prayers to my mom to translate to me. When you feel like you are at your lowest, something as small as encouraging words really mean a lot.

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I’m getting quite emotional now! But, putting together a list of things I’m grateful for and just writing it out really helps me put things into perspective. It reminds me that even though I feel a little lost at the moment and even though I feel like I’m at a low point, I still have so much to be grateful for.

I hope you will join me in creating a list of things to be grateful for because I think it’s been so helpful to take a step back and see the bigger picture especially during this crazy and trying year.

Thank you so much for stopping by & reading.