![\"codep\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/243\/2016\/09\/codep-300x246.jpg\")
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 When I first realized I was a codependent, one of the things that I began to understand was that I lived my life playing the victim.\u00a0 Everything was always happening TO me, people were always doing harm to me, and I was completely innocent, and the list could go on forever.\u00a0 I victimized myself, and I wallowed in every bad emotion I had.\u00a0 Doing this made me lose sight of the good things in life.<\/p>\n
Today, I\u2019d like everyone to grab a pen and paper so that we can make gratitude lists.\u00a0 This is one of the tools that helps me feel good about myself and my life, and it helped reframe the misery I was putting myself in.<\/p>\n
When I was miserable and wallowing in self-pity and self-loathing, everything seemed like a direct attack to me, and everything was going to ruin my life.\u00a0 There was no getting over something or moving on from it.\u00a0 There was no silver lining.\u00a0 Creating a gratitude list has required me to look for the silver lining in every situation, and to see that even though really negative shit happens in our life, it is how we perceive it that makes the difference.<\/p>\n
Start making your gratitude list now, and see if you can\u2019t add to it a bit during the day.\u00a0 Before you go to sleep tonight, finish adding whatever you would like.\u00a0 Read it aloud to yourself, or to a friend if you have one you feel comfortable doing so with.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t be afraid to add \u201cbad\u201d things to your list.\u00a0 For example, maybe you missed your bus and were frustrated early on, and then later in the day something happened that made you realize you were supposed to miss that bus.\u00a0 Even if you did just miss your bus, and you were late with nothing to make up for it later\u2026add it to your list!\u00a0 You may not be grateful for it now, but just adding it to the list can attach positive emotions to it and make you feel better about it!<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you want to find happiness, find gratitude.\u201d- Steve Maraboli<\/p>\n
Sherry Gaba, LCSW, Radio Host, Certified Transformation Coach and author of\u00a0 the award winning book, The Law of Sobriety:Attracting Positive Energy for a Powerful Recovery and Ecourse www.wakeuprecovery.com. www.sherrygaba.com sherry@sgabatherapy.com.\u00a0 Find out if you are #codependent. Take my quiz.\u00a0 http:\/\/sherrygaba.com\/co-dependency-quiz\/<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 When I first realized I was a codependent, one of the things that I began to understand was that I lived my life playing the victim.\u00a0 Everything was always happening TO me, people were always doing harm to me, and I was completely innocent, and the list could go on forever.\u00a0 I victimized myself,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":402,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,5,6,7,10,12,14,15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1085","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-12-steps","category-addiction","category-agoura-psychotherapist-westlake-village-psychotherapist-calabasas-psychotherapist-malibu-psychoth","category-beyond-addiction","category-celebrity-rehab","category-law-of-sobriety","category-recovery","category-sobriety"],"yoast_head":"\n