Lifesfinewhine

The Life & Ramblings Of A Zillennial

Filled With Love And Gratitude

As my mental health improves thanks to therapy and personal effort, I have realised the importance of gratitude. When I was at lower points, I still had so much to be grateful for but chose to focus on the negative. This year, I promised myself I wasn’t going to do that anymore. I was going to choose to focus on the positive instead. And I have been doing just that.

Two things I’ve realised from this is that a lot of envy, jealousy, hate, comes from personal insecurity. The more I chose to love others and approach them with empathy, the less I felt negative emotions in myself. You don’t need to tear others down to feel good about yourself when you’re a happy and secure person. The other thing I’ve realised is that the more we practice gratitude, the more we’ll have to be grateful for. When we choose to be positive and loving towards others, that will find itself back to us too.

What I’m Grateful For Today

Today, I want to share my gratitude for an email I received from NetGalley. It’s been a while since my book was on there, I took it down once it was published as KU doesn’t allow for the Ebook to be on other platforms. But recently (some users take time to get to the book as they have a lot on their TBR list) I received some feedback from a user who is a librarian that absolutely made my day.

Gratitude For This Review On NetGalley

Knowing that somebody who is around books so much (and has probably read a lot of them) loved the book means the world to me. As a child, books were my safe space. No matter how I felt, books allowed me to have an escape where I could be okay. To be an adult and be able to write books that others can enjoy the same way is the most amazing thing in the world.

What are you grateful for today? Let me know in the comments section below. Or simply stop by and say hi!

My first novel, Perfect, is now available on Amazon. If you would like to read it, please click here.

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P. J. Gudka

89 responses to “Filled With Love And Gratitude”

  1. John Avatar
    John

    Be grateful for each day, Pooja, I sure am! ❤️😊

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      Even being alive and well is something to be grateful for daily! ❤️

      Reply
      1. John Avatar
        John

        Yes! Especially as we age.

        Reply
  2. Jixi Fox Avatar
    Jixi Fox

    I saw gratitude and bam I am in the comments

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      I love that, gratitude is something we can’t stop talking about. It’s so important.

      Reply
  3. Jixi Fox Avatar
    Jixi Fox

    Hiiiiiii

    Reply
  4. Jixi Fox Avatar
    Jixi Fox

    I am grateful for good conversations. The kind ones where people can talk and be heard and enjoy each other’s view even if not agreed on. It’s the respect and appreciation of goodness.

    Also grateful of a good workout today… it hit the spot… it was worth every rep of struggle.

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      All things to be very grateful for. True conversations where both people are heard and listen without judgement are always amazing to be a part of.

      Reply
  5. Shahbaz Ashraf Avatar
    Shahbaz Ashraf

    Gratitude has a way of changing our perspective without changing our circumstances, and your words captured that so naturally. Reading this made me pause and think about the many things I often take for granted.

    Thank you for sharing such a heartfelt reflection. I hope your heart continues to find many more reasons to feel filled with love and gratitude.

    Recently, you have been quite infrequent with your blog posts, and your absence is felt, Pooja. Keep showing up even when you are not feeling well. Stay blessed.

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      Yes, exactly and perspective makes the biggest difference, in my experience. Thank you, I’m not sure why but blogging has somehow ended up on the backseat recently despite having lots of things to share. I’m definitely going to try to post more often.

      Reply
      1. Shahbaz Ashraf Avatar
        Shahbaz Ashraf

        You are always welcome, Pooja. As for infrequent appearance on the blog, maybe you are now more preoccupied with your books-a genuine creative work. Keep growing intellectually, Pooja.

        Reply
        1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
          P. J. Gudka

          I think that’s it, I’m working on my next book which is much more time consuming. Thanks so much.

          Reply
  6. ianscyberspace Avatar
    ianscyberspace

    Yes, personal negative thoughts rarely impact those who’d done you wrong, but they are devastating to the body. I discovered that when I was treated badly once and harbored anger until I realized my anger was destroying me and those who’d done me wrong were totally unaffected. Now I’ve learned to let things go and even try and understand why people act as they do negatively. Sometimes they are going through terrible experiences themselves and hit out indiscriminately to try and fix their own feeling of depleted self-worth.

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      Exactly, I think oftentimes when we hold on to hurt and anger we end up doing more harm to ourselves and that’s just not worth it. It’s okay to be angry but it’s also important to process the anger and move on from it.

      Reply
  7. katiemiafrederick Avatar
    katiemiafrederick

    Lifting Others Up With Empathy and Compassion Yes

    The Little Light Within Flickers Flames Torches Bonfires

    Where “Saint Elmo’s Fire” May Come Alive In Your Eyes for

    All You Meet And Greet

    In Greater Hope

    And Gratitude for

    Every Breath Dear

    Pooja With SMiLes And
    Yes Congrats on Your Latest
    Review for Your ‘Perfect’ Novel

    With
    even
    more
    SMiLes
    of Gratitude..:)

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      Thank you! Yes, empathy and compassion are so important especially these days when we see them lacking in a lot of people.

      Reply
      1. katiemiafrederick Avatar
        katiemiafrederick

        Welcome With SMiles
        Kindness Wins The Good
        Life Hehe For Humans At

        Least
        Dear
        Pooja

        Hehe
        Reptiles
        Not So Much
        Yet Snakes Serve
        An Important Part
        Of the Food Chain too 🐭

        Reply
        1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
          P. J. Gudka

          Haha very true!

          Reply
          1. katiemiafrederick Avatar
            katiemiafrederick

            ☺️🙌 🐍

            Reply
  8. Stephanie Avatar
    Stephanie

    I like the way the reviewer noted the way you captured trauma’s echoes!

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      Thank you, yeah I think she really got the themes I was going for!

      Reply
  9. L.G. Avatar
    L.G.

    Great post

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      Thanks so much.

      Reply
  10. Milena Alien Avatar
    Milena Alien

    Love is key, gratitude is the way in as well as the way out. Even when things are not perfect , there is something to be happy about. Even when terrible things happen, there is always the light at the end of the tunnel. Especially when you are in touch with the people who help you see it

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      Yes, very well said. Things are never going to be absolutely perfect all the time, we need to learn to focus on the positive because that’s the road to happiness.

      Reply
      1. Milena Alien Avatar
        Milena Alien

        Fingers crossed 🤞

        Reply
  11. shivatje Avatar
    shivatje

    🙏🌹👍

    Aum Shanti

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      🙏🙏

      Reply
  12. Kajal Avatar
    Kajal

    Hey,
    I am so grateful for life in general and really enjoyed reading your story here.
    Wishing you good days ahead.

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      That’s amazing, I think life is such a beautiful thing when we take the time to focus on the positive. Wishing you the same 😊

      Reply
  13. Darryl B Avatar
    Darryl B

    Yay, Pooja! That’s awesome! Congrats on such a positive review! I bought your first book and loved it 😎👏🙏

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      Thank you so much and so happy to hear that! 😊

      Reply
  14. safia begum Avatar
    safia begum

    A heartfelt and inspiring reflection. Your honesty about healing and the role of gratitude is encouraging, reminding readers that growth often comes through both personal effort and self-compassion.

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      Thank you so much, really appreciate it.

      Reply
  15. Pramod M Avatar
    Pramod M

    Superb post pooja 👏👏👏

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      Thank you so much 😊

      Reply
      1. Pramod M Avatar
        Pramod M

        You are welcome

        Reply
  16. Bookstooge Avatar
    Bookstooge

    I am thankful for the rockstar fruit punch energy drink I am consuming. At 3:30am.
    that part I am not thankful for though 😉

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      Lol I think that may have been the worst time to drink it 😂

      Reply
      1. Bookstooge Avatar
        Bookstooge

        I woke up at 3am and couldn’t get back to sleep. So I figured I’d start my day 2hrs early 🙂

        Reply
        1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
          P. J. Gudka

          I would have just lay back in bed for 2hrs 😭

          Reply
  17. Opher Goodwin Avatar
    Opher Goodwin

    So much to be grateful for – Fitness, health and a great, full life. Many brilliant experiences, a fabulous career and large number of books written. I’m living the life!

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      A lot to be grateful for, keep living your best life!

      Reply
  18. Kevin James Wholley Avatar
    Kevin James Wholley

    That is a daily challenge for us all. It hard at times to stay positive with all the noise. Harder still not to strike back. It is great staying positive and truthful even if sometimes people don’t like it.

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      I agree, it’s hard to stay positive especially when we’re tested but once we make a habit of it we find ourselves being that way much more often.

      Reply
  19. Eugi Avatar
    Eugi

    I am grateful for each day. It’s important to stay positive, for others and especially yourself. Nice post, Pooja.

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      Absolutely, each day is a blessing. Thank you so much 😊

      Reply
  20. byngnigel Avatar
    byngnigel

    Gratitude is a mindset that alters yiur reality. Gotta count our blessings.. and something else ive realized.. I express gratitude for the success of others. I am thankful when I see hard work rewarded.
    Great post, Pooja.

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      Absolutely, it alters so much about our lives. That is so nice, I think people that are happy and secure are often happy for others and their success too. Thank you so much.

      Reply
      1. byngnigel Avatar
        byngnigel

        Always, Pooja. I do get a buzz seeing people I know doing well. Hope you had a great weekend.

        Reply
        1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
          P. J. Gudka

          Thanks, it’s been great. Hope you had an awesome weekend too.

          Reply
          1. byngnigel Avatar
            byngnigel

            Ive been working.. its a total killjoy lol.

            Reply
            1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
              P. J. Gudka

              Oh geez, hopefully you’ll have some time to relax over the week.

              Reply
    2. chanél desirée Avatar
      chanél desirée

      I have a lot to be grateful for. I’m grateful to be here. I have to remember that as I enter a stressful week ahead.

      Reply
      1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
        P. J. Gudka

        That’s wonderful. Yes, do keep that in mind when things get more difficult.

        Reply
  21. Victoria Avatar
    Victoria

    …”the more we practice gratitude the more we’re grateful for…”
    Love that, Pooja! ❤️😉❤️

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      Aw thank you so much! 😊❤️

      Reply
  22. cupcakecache Avatar
    cupcakecache

    Close family and my husband who keeps me grounded in reality and is still next to me despite a few medical complications.

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      That’s truly something to be grateful for. Your husband sounds like a wonderful person.

      Reply
      1. cupcakecache Avatar
        cupcakecache

        Yes, sometimes you need a person nearby to tell you all the positives when you feel the negatives.

        Reply
  23. Tamara Kulish from https://tamarakulish.com/ Avatar
    Tamara Kulish from https://tamarakulish.com/

    “This year, I promised myself I wasn’t going to do that anymore. I was going to choose to focus on the positive instead. And I have been doing just that.”

    I discovered that for myself too. When I had made the switch I hadn’t realized how negative my thoughts were, to myself particularly and towards life in general.

    Always focusing on what’s wrong and seeing every problem ends up taking up our mental bandwidth, so our brains can’t see the positives. If we do see the positives, they’re shrouded in a mist of “yes, but, it will end quickly and I’ll have to pay for enjoying this moment.”

    When I switched to looking for the positives and feeling grateful for them, it would be nice to say that all the negatives faded away, but that wasn’t so. The negatives shrunk to a smaller space in my life, for now I was seeing things in a more balanced way. Instead of fearing that feeling good would trigger more bad stuff as a punishment, I was able to see that if I didn’t have the skills to tackle a problem, I certainly had the ability to develop the skills and that was very empowering.

    Practicing feeling grateful for every positive ended up helping to quiet those fears.

    It’s a simple practice with profound abilities to rewire our brains.

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      So true. I don’t think the negative stuff goes away but we have a much clearer perspective when we embrace the positive instead of focusing too much on the negative. And slowly we learn to make a habit of it. Thanks so much for sharing your experience and so glad you’re in a better place now!

      Reply
  24. Cindy Georgakas Avatar
    Cindy Georgakas

    I love this Pooja!

    Being grateful is imperative and getting to root cause and healing g our inner wounds and creating a new acceptance of self and care makes all the difference in the world! It’s a work in progress! Lovey acknowledged as well!! Congratulations 🎊

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      I completely agree, it does make a huge difference and helps us heal! Thank you so much ☺️

      Reply
      1. Cindy Georgakas Avatar
        Cindy Georgakas

        Absolutely 💯 ❣️

        Reply
  25. clcouch123 Avatar
    clcouch123

    Hi. What to be grateful for. I got some sleep last night, not a lot but some. My back hurts, but it might be stretching out now, as I’ve changed my posture for reading and writing. I have food. I have water. I’ve had coffee. It’s a pretty day, even though there’s a warning that it’s too hot. Hmm, everything seems qualified. Good with the bad. Well, being thankful for small favors. That’ll have to do. I’m happy you continue to feel better.

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      Life is all about the good and bad, we never have just one. Hopefully your back will feel better soon, changing our posture helps a lot.

      Reply
  26. Oscar Wilde Quote #4 – Lifesfinewhine

    […] back a little and trying to post more. I think that would make me much happier and as I said in my last post, this year I’m focusing on happiness more than anything […]

    Reply
  27. Vanya Wryter Consulting Avatar
    Vanya Wryter Consulting

    Glad to read that you’re doing better.

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      Thank you so much.

      Reply
  28. Mary K. Doyle Avatar
    Mary K. Doyle

    You are correct, Pooja. We always have things to be grateful for. Let’s focus on those things rather than the one that hurt us.

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      Thank you so much and yes there’s always good in the world too. It’s important to take the positives into account too.

      Reply
  29. Joseph Glidden Avatar
    Joseph Glidden

    Congratulations on another great review.
    I am grateful for a day with no rain so I could get my lawn cut, lol.
    I am also very grateful for the inspiration from you and all in the WordPress family.

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      Thank you so much. Haha I’m glad to hear that, is it very hot yet or mostly just rainy?
      WP is such an awesome place, glad we have so many lovely people here.

      Reply
      1. Joseph Glidden Avatar
        Joseph Glidden

        Just a lot of rain so far. We broke a record for the most rain in June since 1914 (265 mm I think). July seems to want to compete with 127 mm so far, lol. Temps are around 16-22 C. I have not had to turn on my AC since the end of May.

        Reply
  30. amidlifeadventure Avatar
    amidlifeadventure

    One of my favourite quotes is:

    “The most dangerous risk of all – the risk of spending your life not doing what you want on the bet you can buy yourself the freedom to do it later.”

    This helps me to stay on track and ensure I focus on achieving my goals particularly now I’m in the last quartile of my life.

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      That is such a fantastic quote. Living in the present and doing what we can while we can is so important.

      Reply
  31. Amy Jones Avatar
    Amy Jones

    hugs

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      🤗🤗

      Reply
  32. Bianca Alina Avatar
    Bianca Alina

    Love this, Pooja! 💗🌸

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      Thanks so much! 💕

      Reply
      1. Bianca Alina Avatar
        Bianca Alina

        It’s always a pleasure to read you, Pooja! 💖🌹

        Reply
        1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
          P. J. Gudka

          😊💖

          Reply
  33. Alex Diaz-Granados Avatar
    Alex Diaz-Granados

    Oorah for Pooja!

    Reply
    1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
      P. J. Gudka

      Thanks!

      Reply
    2. Kelly Curtis Avatar
      Kelly Curtis

      Devil Dog?

      Reply
      1. Alex Diaz-Granados Avatar
        Alex Diaz-Granados

        Not me, personally. That said, I’ve been a fan of the Marines since I was a wee lad, and some of my best friends have served in the Corps.

        I still remember learning and singing “The Marines’ Hymn” as a nine-year-old!

        Reply
        1. Kelly Curtis Avatar
          Kelly Curtis

          Very cool! I served as an infantryman in the Corps in the early eighties. Loved it.

          Reply
          1. Alex Diaz-Granados Avatar
            Alex Diaz-Granados

            One of my closest friends was a captain with the 2nd ANGLICO who saw combat during Operation Desert Storm. We both lost our fathers in a C-46 crash back in 1965 (my dad was the pilot, his was the copilot), so we have a close bond even though we rarely see each other.

            Reply

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