Choosing Gratitude in Unexpected Places.

We often think of gratitude as something that flows naturally when life is going well — but in reality, it’s usually during challenges that gratitude takes its deepest root.

Waiting at the train station.

I learnt this recently through my work travels. After long shifts, I decided to stop driving long distances when tired, because one frightening motorway experience reminded me how dangerous it could be. Instead, I started taking the train.

Usually, my routine looks like this: finish work at 8:20am, walk 20 minutes to the train station, catch the 8:59, and be back at my car by 10:39. While I used to grumble about how “late” that felt, I could still appreciate the safety it provided.

Then September rolled around, and with it, rail replacement buses. My return time shifted from 10:39 to 12 noon—an extra hour and a half later than usual. Suddenly, my old “late” felt like a blessing compared to this new normal.

It reminded me of Ecclesiastes 9:4: “A living dog is better than a dead lion.” In other words, things could always be worse — and sometimes the very situations we complain about are, in fact, a mercy.

This is precisely why I created my https://www.ruthymichaels.com/product-page/daily-affirmations-colouring — to give us little reminders to pause, reflect, and reframe our thoughts. Sometimes all we need is a quiet moment with colours and affirmations to shift perspective.

Gratitude doesn’t mean pretending everything is perfect. It means choosing to notice what is still good, what is still keeping you safe, what is still working in your favour.

That’s also why I design Gratitude Journal https://www.ruthymichaels.com/product-page/daily-gratitude-journaland other guided journals because they’re not just about being creative — they’re tools for emotional wellness, helping us slow down and reconnect with ourselves (and even with our families).

So today, I’m choosing to be thankful. What about you?

If you’d like to bring a little more calm and gratitude into your daily routine, you can explore my collection of colouring books and self-care resources here.https://www.ruthy

michaels.com