The same sky. Similar sounds. But knowing I’m in Rome makes even the ambulance sounds and construction smells feel romantic.  Opening my window each morning to look out on the apartment building next door is thrilling. If I was at home, probably not as much. It’s all about my mindset. 

And the cool part is, I know I can recreate the thrill wherever I am. Today it comes naturally because I really am on vacation. But I have the ability to access those thoughts and emotions anywhere. 

So when I smell diesel at home, I’m immediately transported back to my days as a volunteer on an army base in Israel, the summer I turned 20, and I smile and bask in the warmth of those flirty, fun memories. 

When I’m exhausted from walking I imagine that I’ve been laid up unable to move, and get a burst of joy that I’m now able to walk on my own. 

When I’m running errands in the rain and my normally frizz-free, curly hair has expanded to resemble a sheep’s wool, I imagine that I’ve just been discharged from a long hospital stay, or even time imprisoned, and I’m extremely grateful for the fresh air. 

When my kids share something that seems insurmountably difficult for me to wrap my head around, I remember the times some of them have actually been quite sick, and it brings everything back together into perspective. I am grateful that they’re here to shock me and know that we’ll get past this. 

The hardest part is accessing my imagination when I’m feeling out of sorts. But once I do, the gratitude flows, the bounce comes back in my step, and life seems not only more manageable but actually enjoyable. 

Change your thought and it changes your emotions. When you change your emotions, it will affect your actions. When your actions change, your results change. And you are making progress!

Try it! The next time you find yourself experiencing something that makes you want to whine, imagine the person who would be thrilled to be in that situation. Then allow that gratitude to flow that you have legs that work, basic freedoms, kids to argue with, a house to be dirty – whatever it is. And celebrate!