100 Days of Gratitude - DAY 100

It is day 100. I think when I started this project, 100 days ago, I was sitting right here on the far left corner of my bed typing on this laptop. What has changed? Well, the color of my room, for one. It used to be pink and now it's purple. Most notably my body has healed. I went from barely being able to move without pain to an acrobatic yoga class last week. I still don't have a "job", but I am doing things each day that I feel good about. Brunch Club was born and with the help of my amazing community I have been able to positively impact lives. I have made some really great new friends and my circle has expanded. I have started to facilitate a women's circle in my home and it's been wonderful. I have gone through this journey with my great aunt Edie, who has also done 100 days of gratitude. I have met one of my heroes, Gabrielle Bernstein. I have grown closer to my niece. I have forgiven and let go of some people. I have cried of a broken heart. I have been euphoric in joy over love. I have been sick, healthy, happy, sad, and everything in between. I have lived 100 days of life and in each one found at least 10 things to be grateful for. And I'm grateful to you all for taking this journey with me. Thank you.

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I am grateful...

1. That I kept the commitment to myself to complete this 100 days of recording my gratitude.
2. To each person that has come into my life during this time, like Adam, who came over tonight with medicine because he knew I was feeling sick, and took me to Whole Foods to get groceries because he knew I had nothing in the house. Like Viviana and Lisa who I didn't know until a couple months ago and now bring so much love into my life.
3. For Derby Blue, who probably got the most shout outs on all these lists. Who has been a loyal and loving furry friend to me for 7.5 years. 
4. To my inner guide, my higher power, the spirit guiding me constantly. 
5. For friends who have continued to be a source of joy, love, and support in my life. For Aliah, who I am so grateful to be able to grow with along our respective paths even though we are so far apart. For Kellie, who has been an awesome companion to live with and learn with. 
6. For the vast knowledge held by the universe and the access to it. For all the books and articles I've read and the information I have learned, day after day. That because of this and constant new experiences I am able to learn and expand my mind every day.
7. For the love and support of my family, and connections I've been able to create again, like with my cousin who I hadn't seen in years. For his sobriety and his doing so well. For each moment I get to spend with my niece and nephew. For hugs from my mom and smiles from my dad. 
8. For Brunch Club, everyone involved in it and their generosity with time, money, and hearts. For everything it has done for each person involved in any way and for everyone willing to help. 
9. For Jamie. In loving him I have learned about forgiveness, and letting go, and what I really want in a partner. For the way I feel when he looks at me. 
10. For love. Whether I feel it from Earl, the homeless guy who sleeps by the bank near my house, or in long loving hugs from Kellie or Jamie or in Adam coming over to bring me medicine, I feel love in all the ways it is offered and there is nothing more warming, more beautiful, or that gives me more life than love. For that and everyone who brings it I am eternally grateful.   

100 Days of Gratitude - Day 99

I am grateful...

1. To sleep in. Really in.
2. That the first thing I saw this morning was a message from a loved one.
3. That soon I will be getting a paycheck.
4. To spend time with Kellie.
5. For fair food and rides and photo booth fun.
6. For Derby Blue.
7. That Lisa is home and I get to see her soon.
8. That all my siblings who went sky diving today are safe and unharmed.
9. That I won the coin toss and didn't have to drive to the fair.
10. For a nice phone call with Adam

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100 Days of Gratitude - Day 98

I am grateful...

1. For such an amazing morning full of love and happiness.
2. For a mid morning nap.
3. To see a beautiful friend at the Farmer's Market and give her hugs and kisses.
4. For an hour catching up with Kellie while laying out in the sun.
5. That Kellie is happy for my happiness.
6. That Derby is such a good, sweet girl.
7. For texts all day that let me know I was loved and thought about.
8. For the great people that I worked a wedding with who made it run smoothly.
9. For great clients that are so in love. Couples like them make my job a pleasure. 
10. For Pablo Fernandez, who is awesome, and who I am very excited to do good work with.  

100 Days of Gratitude - Day 97

I am grateful...

1. That I got to celebrate my cousin's birthday at a fun breakfast with him and my brother. 
2. That on his birthday he is 86 days sober and doing great. I am so proud of him.
3. That my brother gave me a box of shoes for Soles4Souls.
4. For time to do a little yoga after breakfast and before my afternoon meeting.
5. For a fairly quick and easy meeting with good clients.
6. For something to look forward to all day. 
7. For the consideration of someone telling me in advance that they were running late.
8. For a great surprise date with someone very special to me.
9. For a first time acro yoga class, how fun!
10. For a truly beautiful night and the person who orchestrated it. 

100 Days of Gratitude - Day 96

I am grateful...

1. To know who I am and want I want from this life. It took me a long time to get here.
2. For music, and communicating with people by sending songs back and forth. 
3. For Derby Blue and her constant companionship. 
4. For an invitation to have a delicious breakfast with friends new and old.
5. For a really great and meaningful compliment.
6. To know that the words I choose carefully and thoughtfully make an impact on people.
7. To cross a few things off my to do list.
8. For Kellie, always, and specifically now for lending me epsom salt and vitamins because I'm feeling under the weather.
9. For my family, who will look for shoes they no longer wear to donate for a project I've been asked to help with. 
10. To be asked out by the only person I've wanted to go on a date with this year.

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100 Days of Gratitude - Day 95

I am grateful...

1. For a chance to sleep in.
2. To get some emails done before play time.
3. That the sun came out and the day was beautiful.
4. To spend a few hours at the beach.
5. To spend those hours at the beach with my sister and her kids, my little sand crabs.
6. For SiennaJane and everything she does and says. That she gives me so very much love and affection. For our close relationship. 
7. For a moment that I can only explain as happysad, that I don't even fully understand myself, that brought me to tears in (I think) a good way. 
8. For a long walk with Derby Blue and pandora. We both needed it and the night air was perfect.
9. For a call from a friend who I am so excited to collaborate with!
10. That so many people are doing different things to help out with Brunch Club out of the kindness of their hearts!

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100 Days of Gratitude - Day 94

I am grateful...

1. For an introduction to someone who wants to help further the Brunch Club.
2. For lunch with 4 generations of women!
3. That Sienna picked me to sit next to.
4. That she put her arm around me. I melted.
5. For a game of hide and seek in a beautiful setting with little SiennaJane.
6. To spend time with my aunt Edie, who lives in Florida.
7. That Pablo and Branko picked me up.
8. That Kellie invited me to her lovely event.
9. To catch up with Angela, who I hadn't seen in a while.
10. For a ride home from Angela, and for all the wonderful things happening in her life.

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100 Days of Gratitude - Day 93

I am grateful...

1. To wake up in my beautiful lilac room.
2. For morning snuggles with Derby Blue.
3. For good clients. 
4. For over 100 likes on the Brunch Club page.
5. For a closet full of nice things to wear. 
6. For the time to do laundry, clean up the house, and paint my nails.
7. For leftover food to eat for lunch.
8. For delicious pistachio gelato, and for the willpower to stop eating it when I was full.
9. For a new opportunity to write. 
10. For Derby, who makes me get out of the house to take her on walks, when sometimes I want to stay in. I'm always grateful once I'm out there in the fresh air. 

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100 Days of Gratitude - Day 91 & 92

The past couple days have been a crazy (but wonderful) whirlwind as I prepared for and executed the second Brunch Club - Sunday of Service. So I have combined them :) I am GRATEFUL...

1. For NamaSteve's beach yoga class, I really needed it after my plane ride back from NYC.
2. For the breeze on my face, the sun in the sky and the sound of the ocean while I moved through my yoga flow. 
3. For Adam, who invited me to do everything he did on Saturday because I told him I was in a funk and he didn't want me to be alone.
4. For Vivianna and Barbs from Sabor Fresh, who took time out of their Saturday to go to Costco with me to get supplies for the Sunday of Service. For their love!
5. For Kellie, for picking up last minute items, for staying up late to handwrite inspirational notes, for going with me to pick up the food in the morning, and for reading us all a prayer as we worked. 
6. To El Indio for donating food.
7. To Pablo and Branko for donating food! The Secret Table gents are amazing. 
8. To 30+ people who, instead of sleeping in or spending their Sunday doing anything else, came to my house even though some of them had never met me before, to lend a hand in making packs of food and useful items for the homeless. 
9. For all who donated so that we can keep doing this.
10. For Natalie, who drove down all the way from Costa Mesa to spend the day helping out.
11. For those who brought over hygiene packs and toothbrushes and chaptsticks and any items they had to donate into the bags.
12. For Jessica, who spent her last paycheck on socks for the homeless! Who spent time writing notes of inspiration for people she'd never met. 
13. For Keith Donahue from Kevala, who has done more charity work in the past year than most people do in their lives and still continues to give time and effort to things like this!
14. For new friends like Tricia, Natalie, Micha and some other awesome people I got to meet today.
15. To the homeless people, who were kind and respectful and most of all grateful to us. They lined up, they said thank you, they shared smiles and tears and they were wonderful.
16. To Jorge, the 17 year old kid who came back after we fed him to talk to us. He asked us to pray for him. He told us that he was alone, that everyone he knew had been killed on the streets. After we prayed he cried to us and we hugged him and shook his hand. Most of all, we looked him in the eyes and told him to take care of himself. That we wanted to see him next time. We wanted to see him make it to his 18th birthday. He allowed us to show him love. He opened up his heart to us. He probably gave more to us than we gave to him. For this I am grateful.
17. For Juan Carlos from Ceviche House who generously lent us his tent and tables so that we could feed people more efficiently. Who wants to help even more next time.
18. To Mike Sherbakov for all his help and willingness. He knows the people, and they come out!
19. To the other group that was out on the streets with us handing out backpacks. 
20. That this event went to well. That we were able to feed around 200 people and hand out about 150 packs. To every. single. person. involved in any way in this project. 

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100 Days of Gratitude - Day 90

I am grateful...

1. That once again when I asked people to help out to do something simple but kind for another they said yes! 
2. That the people in my life are so kind, generous, and compassionate. 
3. That I saw a book I wanted to read on sale so I got it!
4. That Escondido Dentistry is going to make packs for Brunch Club for our next Sunday of Service. 
5. That my dear friend is recovering well after surgery. 
6. That when I walked in to my parents house today I heard Sienna from all the way across the house saying "Jen?!??!?!?" and when I got to her she jumped into my arms and told me she "missed me when I was on bay-cation".
7. To see my mom, my great aunt Edie, my sisters, my dad, and my niece and nephew.
8. For a swim day with my little water baby, Sienna.
9. To be reunited with Derby! She was so very happy to see me and I missed her! She's now lounging at the end of my bed, right where she belongs.
10. That Kellie brought home a movie and made popcorn. 

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100 Days of Gratitude - Day 89

I am grateful...

1. For a long hug and goodbye from Aliah, and that she told me how proud of me she is.
2. For an on top of it cab driver to take me to the airport.
3. For one last delicious New York bagel at the airport.
4. That so many friends with busy New York City lives made time to see me while I was visiting. It was so good to see them.
5. That my flight to the east coast and back to San Diego were anxiety medication free, for the first time in as long as I can remember. I'm grateful I was able to calm my mind and shift my perceptions instead of relying on pills.
6. To all the generous people donating time and items to this weekend's Sunday of Service.
7. That when I arrived home from my trip my home was clean and full of flowers. I have the best roommate! 
8. For a long hot shower.
9. To stay up late chatting with Kellie about our weeks and catching up.
10. To be back in my beautiful home. And that I will see SJ and my family in mere hours! 

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100 Days of Gratitude - Day 88

I am grateful...

1. That my last day in New York was wonderful.
2. That I got up early to ride the train into the city with Aliah, my love and generous hostess.
3. That Elysha made time to have breakfast with me. It was so good to see her and my heart is warmed by what an amazing woman she is becoming. She used to be my intern!
4. That I got an opportunity to practice self control and did not buy a hundred clothing items that I wanted but instead bought only 1 thing (a super cute romper, if you're wondering).
5. For a delicious and healthy lunch at Dojo with Aliah.
6. For all natural gelato and eating it on a park bench with my best friend.
7. For a stroll through Washington Square Park and all the luscious green therein. 
8. For one of my favorite things, Drag Bingo! With the amazing Linda Simpson and Glace Chase. And that Linda, my drag queen guru, told me I looked amazing and I was really good at eye make up(!).
9. For help from my San Diego friends writing notes for our Sunday of Service while I am out of town. Watching them put their time and effort into this loving project fills me up, and I know it fills the world up too.
10. For signs from the universe. When my eyes are open I see them everywhere.  

100 Days of Gratitude - Day 87

I am grateful...

1. For Diana Romero, who put me in touch with Martha from El Indio restaurant.
2. For Martha, and everyone at El Indio, who are very generously donating food so that we can serve the homeless this weekend!
3. For a kale smoothie and a rose flavored macaron for breakfast. A very me combo and a perfect meal.
4. For Aliah, who actively and supportively listened to me talk about my stuff today. She is a wonderful friend and I am so grateful that this week I get to be with her in person!
5. That when someone let me down I was able to say to her "I love you" instead of something mean and hurtful. 
6. For a new summer dress on sale. 
7. To be in Gramercy, one of my favorite parts of the city, eating outside with my favorite Jersey boy (that's you, Andrew). 
8. To have the amazing orecchiette with roasted garlic and broccoli rabe from Frank's in the east village that I dream of. 
9. For dinner with an old friend, Adam, and the chance to tell him in person how proud I am of all that he's been doing.
10. That my sister told me Sienna asked her when I was coming back from New York because she missed me. And then sent me a video of little angel baby SJ saying "I missss you Jennnn!". My heart melted.  

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100 Days of Gratitude - Day 85

I am grateful...

1. That I woke up in a comfy bed in a beautiful room in Brooklyn at my best friend's place.
2. For the serendipitous meeting of a new friend; I think we really needed to find each other.
3. For a yummy breakfast made by Aliah.
4. For free wine and food at a Bloomsday celebration.
5. To be in the city! I love the energy of New York and I'm grateful to be here after such a long absence. 
6. To see Herad, an old friend. 
7. For really good polenta fries.
8. To see Leyna, Aliah's sister, who is lovely in all ways. 
9. That I have so many loved ones on both coasts. How lucky I am!
10. To feel comfortable in my skin. 

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100 Days of Gratitude - Day 84

I am grateful...

1. That somehow I got out of bed even though I was frozen when I woke up. I forced myself to get up and walk through the frigid forest into the bathroom to take a shower. 
2. That I ran through the forest in a towel on the way back to my cabin even though it was cold; I kept a smile on my face and said good morning to each person I came across who was looking at me like a crazy person.
3. For a really yummy breakfast of organic oatmeal and tea that warmed me right up. 
4. For a half day with my guru, Gabby. What a pleasure.
5. For bikini Kundalini. It was hard as hell and my body wanted to shut down, but I survived. 
6. That my guru was so touched by the energy and love we all brought that she cried while saying goodbye to us.
7. For a healing circle that gave me an opportunity to send light to my loved ones.
8. For the best falafels I've ever had.
9. That something I saw in a meditation yesterday actually made sense today when Aliah read my tarot cards.
10. That I am able to spend the day and night with my beautiful and amazing best friend!
11. For my dad, who has given me anything and everything I have ever thought to need from a father. 

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100 Days of Gratitude - Day 81

I am grateful...

1. That Kellie drove me to the airport and saw me off with love!
2. To the awesome woman who sold me a breakfast sandwich, had great eye makeup, and told me a trick about water at the airport. 
3. That when I was having a moment of feeling low I looked to a really loving note from a friend and felt warmth.
4. That I was able to sleep for an hour on the airplane, which is rare.
5. For window seats and good plane neighbors. 
6. That Ryan opened his home to me and is being "nicer than I am to most people" to me.
7. For Gabrielle Bernstein's book Spirit Junkie, which kept me company and kept me centered.
8. To be back in New York City.
9. To eat dinner at 9:30 outside and watch the city go by in all its dramatic flair. 
10. For an amazing playlist and a makeshift solo flow on Ryan's floor. 

100 Days of Gratitude - Day 80

I am grateful...

1. For my family, who is watching Derby for me while I'm in New York.
2. That I don't have to worry about Derb and I know she is having a blast at my parent's house. 
3. To Kellie, for offering to give me a ride to the airport tomorrow morning.
4. For my mom, who is so very generous, and gave me my half birthday presents early because she knew I needed them.
5. That I got to see my sisters and mom and SiennaJane and Everett today.
6. Always for Sienna's excitement when I walk into her house. 
7. That Sienna asked me to tell her a story, and to see her eyes light up when I did. 
8. That when I had to leave, Sienna said "But I don't want you to go.", which fills my heart with love. 
9. That because I procrastinated taking a shower all day I got to have a beautiful view of the giant glowing moon out my window when I finally did. 
10. That I feel wanted and loved by so many people that I love and want near.

100 Days of Gratitude - Day 79

I am grateful...

1. For stretchy pants, because I have been a bottomless pit for the past few days and I feel like a whale.
2. For the luxury of an afternoon nap.
3. For my new rug.
4. For each woman who showed up to tonight's circle and brought their lovely authentic selves.
5. For a pre-circle meditation that brought me out of my ego funk and put me into a loving state that allowed me to lead the circle. 
6. For Kellie, who didn't have time to learn a moon salutation to lead tonight but did it anyway, and did it well.
7. For Lisa, who had a 14 hour day and still showed up and was present and mindful in circle.
8. To be able to have a home big enough to facilitate a circle comfortably. 
9. For the way the room glowed in soft candlelight. 
10. For Gabby Bernstein, and the inspiration she has brought to my life. 

100 Days of Gratitude - Day 78

I am grateful...

1. That I woke up to a message that made me happy.
2. That what I am putting out is coming back to me. 
3. That a few different people today paid me great compliments that were really meaningful.
4. That I got a new rug and I was able to carry it out of my car and into my place all by myself.
5. That some sisters who are coming to the circle tomorrow are happy to bring some snacks so I don't have to do it all.
6. To the women at World Market who helped me and that she was sweet.
7. That though I spent this day alone I was sent loving messages all day.
8. That Kevala made their minimum for their Indie Go Go campaign! What a great company.
9. That I am stronger every day.
10. To finally feel that I'm on the right path. 

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100 Days of Gratitude - Day 77

I am grateful...

1. That I woke up this morning clear headed.
2. For a good parking spot.
3. For NamaSteve and a really beautiful yoga practice on the beach this morning.
4. That I got up instead of going back to sleep when everyone else bailed this morning.
5. For the energy to wake up and do all the shit I needed to do today.
6. For some inversions today that I couldn't do a few months ago.
7. That my girls only care about my happiness.
8. For really great friends who are there to support me and make sure I'm okay. 
9. That Lisa put time and energy into fixing my dress. 
10. For love. In all the ways it manifests into my life. 

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