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Gratitude
Ranked Choice Appreciation?
Another “choose your favorite” question, couched in sly terms: “What do you appreciate most about your life right now? Why?”
When you notice the little things alongside the big things, it becomes hard to apply ranked-choice voting to all the “best” things in life. High on my list, though, is good health and the financial ability to retire early. Not at 35. Not a billionaire. Not having won a Nobel Prize. But with the mental and physical capacity, as well as the means, to travel some and soak in more experiences and adventures in places other than my own office or living room.
There was a time, not so long ago, that I had a mental image of me, resigned to being chained to my desk — a pleasantly air-conditioned, comfortable cage doing work that I mostly enjoyed — and dying before being able to retire at any age. It wasn’t realistic. My husband laughed at me.
What it was was stress that I didn’t feel entitled to feel — after all, I wasn’t exactly breaking rocks in the hot sun! I had a good job — a fun job, for the most part. I had coworkers that I liked. I hadn’t worried in many years where the mortgage money would come from. Hadn’t had to think too hard about chicken vs. chocolate on the grocery bill. But it’s easy to watch…
