A US blogger I read (and now know virtually), Karen CL Anderson, talks about the art of ‘practice’. She talks about ‘practicing’ acceptance, mindfulness and many many other things. Other than the whole US / non US spelling of the verb (to PRACTISE! Grrrr….) I like the concept of committing to attempt something with the aim of improving.

I, for one, am loath to commit myself to something I might fail… so ‘practising’ is perfect for me.

And today I’m also inspired by author and bright and bubbly blogger Anita Heiss and ‘practising’ gratitude.

I’m pretty sure there’s a ‘what I’m grateful for’ day in the blogging world when one is supposed to write about gratitude. Like the ‘Meatless Monday’ or the ‘What I ate Wednesday’ themes. Nevertheless I’m bucking the trend and writing about whatever the hell I want whenever the hell I want.

And today I’m writing about gratitude: not something which features strongly in either of my blogs!

But… it’s all relative.

I arrived back from my weekend Problogger Training Event unwell, becoming increasingly more so as Sunday continued. By Monday… I. Felt. Like. Crap. I mean, seriously.

I’d planned a big week. I’m in the midst of moving house – having only had the sale of my property confirmed the night before I left to go to Melbourne. And I’d committed to go and look at a property in my future hometown.

Being unwell was on my ‘To-D0’ list.

As Monday drew to a close I felt shittier than I could ever remember. When I went out to get fuel for my trip the following day I struggled to walk across the road without breaking into a coughing fit, causing my head to almost explode. The pain was such I could barely sit still. I dosed myself up and reminisced about what it was like to not be sick (yes… I’m sure everyone can relate to that little fantasy!). I packed and lugged bags and boxes about between nanna naps while self-medicating obsessively. And… I crossed my fingers that I would be better on Tuesday when I was required to get in my car and drive for 3+ hours.

Tuesday dawned. I was awake early – coughing badly, but the very sore throat and head-splitting headache were gone. Sadly each time I coughed it felt like ribs were splitting open, but that seemed to be the main problem. Relieved… I left on my trip a couple of hours earlier than planned.

Throughout the day I moaned as I tried to not-cough to avoid rib-pain, which resulted in an ability to get rid of phlegmy substance and a continued need to cough. My voice was still barely existent and I panted as I spoke.

But… I was also VERY conscious that it could have been worse. I could have felt like I had the day before.

“I just hope,” I said, “that tomorrow I felt better again.”

My mother, who’d also been sick, said her latest cold had hung around for weeks. (As had my previous one.)

“As long as I can breathe properly and it doesn’t hurt too much, I don’t mind a runny nose and cough,” I decided.

And… here I am today. Awake at some ungodly hour – yet again – but feeling a bit better. I still have a cough. My nose is running. My voice is pretty croaky and I’m still wheezing, but… my ribs hurt less. My head hurts less.

Like I said, it’s all relative. Next on my agenda I return to my current hometown to pack up my place. It seems the offer I put in on a property yesterday has been accepted, so I need to continue trying to work out how to fit stuff from a three bedroom, three level townhouse into a small two-bedroom apartment.

I’m in the midst of transforming my life (more on that to come!) but in the interim I need to keep plugging away as there’s a lot to do.

I suspect I’ll crash and burn after the 3hr drive back home this morning, but then I’ll pick myself up – dose myself up – and continue on my merry way. And I’m sure tomorrow I’ll feel even less-unwell. And for that I will continue to be grateful!

PS. I do realise that a cold / flu (even a debilitating one) is NOTHING compared to what some people go through, but… it sure did feel like the end of the world for a day or so there!

Can you relate?