The Grateful List #4

Its been a while since I've put together a grateful list so I guess now, mid summer, as the sun is shining is as good as time as any. The Grateful List is an opportunity to share all those moments, big and small which simply put, make me happy. It's easy to not appreciate the little moments and let a busy life get in a way!

- Having the opportunity to be woken up by a loud crackle of thunder and then staying up for an hour to watch an amazing lightning show at 4am.

- Experimenting with clean foods and making smoothie bowls. Simply delicious.

- Warm sunshine and lazy weekends with nothing much to do except sleep and relax.

- A nice, chilled glass of wine on a humid evening. Enjoyed on the balcony of our apartment.

- Arranging my first Manchester blogger meet up. A mix of excitement, anticipation and nervousness all rolled into one.

- Shopping in a whole foods / clean eating store. So many lovely foods to choose from, it's difficult not to buy everything!

- Organising our somewhat messy spare room into a guest / craft room. It's teeny tiny and proving a challenge.

- Having the opportunity to attend exciting Manchester events as the guest of a number of PR companies. It has been a great way of meeting fellow bloggers.

- Cooking clean meals not only for myself but for my hungry boyfriend too.

- Having the recent opportunity to run the Colour Run with Dannii from Hungry Healthy Happy.

- Excited to start a new role with a new company next week!

The Grateful List #2

 image - via here

Towards the end of 2013, I decided to dwell in the happy moments and spend less time pondering about the less than happy moments. As a result, I introduced to my blog 'The Grateful List'. A sporadical post, popping up every now and again outlining the moments, things or events that have made me grateful or happy as Larry in some small, shape or form.

- A lovely Christmas with an amazing amount of time off work. A whole 17 days. I have friends who work in retail, finish on Christmas Eve and are often back in work on the 26th or 27th of December, so I'm aware of how lucky I am to have wonderful breaks from the 9-5 grind during the festive season.

- Connecting on Twitter. I have loved connecting with new Twitter folk. I might never meet some of these lovely people, but I sure do enjoy the random tweets and chats.

- A low key New Years Eve, spent drinking some cheap cava, eating cheese, chutney and crackers.

- Our apartment has a bath tub! Yay for hot bubble baths!

- Brisk morning walks to work. There has been minimal rain in Manchester since returning after the Christmas break, and brisk, dry walks are a treat.

- Wholesome meals - I've enjoyed cooking healthy colourful meals for myself and the boy and seeing as he's currently commuting to work, getting up at 5:30am, I know he appreciates a hot meal at the end of the day.

- Finding new and brilliant blogs to read. Recently its been Bangsandabun, Gin Fulled BlueStocking  and Mancunian Vintage.

- Planning - I have five groups of friends and family travelling to Manchester between February and May and so I'm scoping things out for them to enjoy.

What are you guys grateful for? Are you enjoying and savoring the little things?

The Grateful List #1

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If I'm honest, I've been a bit of a 'Moaning Mary' of late. The nights are drawing in, it's much, much colder and the dark mornings are making me feel a bit meh! I should be stopping to smell the coffee a bit more and appreciate the lovely things I do have in my life. I think, sometimes we can all be a little guilty of not being grateful for what we do have rather than what we don't have. 

I'm also guilty of playing the comparison game. Looking at what others have, wishing I had it too and assuming their life is one, big, perfect story. It's not always that way and it's time to be grateful for the things I do have in my life and to appreciate the lovely little moments that life can sometimes offer up. Introducing, my first grateful list.

1. Our lovely rented apartment. It's modern, cosy and within walking distance to the city centre

2. All the lovely hot cups of tea my co-workers make me. (I do make some in return!)

3. Crunchy Autumn leaves and the colours that Autumn offers up

4. A gym membership. At £20 a month, I'm grateful that I can afford it. (I should go more!)

5. A full time job. Enough said

6. Hot, chocolaty and creamy mocha's - offered in work and a steal at £1.60

7. My health. 

8. Brightly coloured nail polish. It scares Winter away, or so I'm told.

9. Weekends off. Weekends off are just lovely - have a lie in, go away for the day, take a stroll - whatever!

10. Family - even if they are mad and we often drive each other nuts.

What would make your grateful list?