I'll be honest, money and period pain don't normally rank too high on my morning gratitude list. Family, friends, my biz, my boy and my health normally take the cake. But for this month's Gratitude Files, I thought I'd dig a little deeper.What am I really grateful for, right now? In this moment, what is supporting me? What am I learning from? What is my biggest teacher?Well, as these things go, it's the difficult and challenging elements of our lives that bring us the gold. It's what we resist that brings us the most revealing insights, gems and revelations. So I dug deep - and this is what I came up with.

Cash money.

Moolah. Cashola. Dollars. Ca-ching! $$$. Money.Now, let's clear something up quickly. Currently, I am not rolling in money. I have debts. I am not earning 6 figures (yet) and I have had a tumultuous, strained and frustrated relationship with money for a long, long time. In my free eBook Get Unstuck, I openly shared that while I've had a lot of shifts in other areas of my life, money is still something I'm working on - daily.

And I have been. I no longer believe that being rich makes you a bad person or that money changes you for the worse. I no longer believe that I'll always be broke or living on credit. I no longer declare that 'I hate money' or that 'money makes life difficult'.

Instead, I know that money makes things easier, more expansive and free-er. I know making more money will allow me to express and nurture myself fully, create wicked shit, see awesome places and help even better people.

I've been blessing the amount in my account (however small or large) whenever I check my online banking. I've been paying bills with satisfaction and assurance that I always have enough and I have constant reminders in my phone that 'money can be used for such wonderful things', 'there are endless ways to receive more money' and 'money is seeking me out'.

I've created an abundance altar with gold coins in pretty cups, post-its of how much money I want to bring in this coming month, angel cards and crystals.

I've even made an “I LOVE MONEY!” vision board with (and this is key) MY version of abundance. So, there’s no $5000 handbags, infinity pools or Ferraris (is that even a cool car anymore?) on my vision board.

Instead, it's yoga and pilates classes, quality and funky clothes, new books, beautiful and organic food and cosmetics, magazine subscriptions, lacy lingerie, having my hair done, a new iPad, buying art, supporting my family, giving back to causes I believe in, investing in my business, fresh flowers, colourful cushions, divine cookware, soy candles, travel - and more travel!

That’s the kind of money I am bringing in - and the kind I am grateful for - in my life. Money rocks!

Period pain.

So, since coming off the contraceptive pill after 10 years of use that led to a PCOS diagnosis and a 12 month stint of post-pill amenorrhea (no period for a year), THEN getting my period back in January this year, my cycles have been regular - yay! - and ruthless - gah!

Exhaustion, vomiting, loss of appetite, killer cramps, nausea, listlessness, moodiness, emotional, back pain, leg pain, digestive issues…. I could go on, but (for your sake) I won’t. Basically, for that week of my cycle, I’m couch-bound for days, permanently attached to my heat pack, sleeping like a sloth, cancelling and rescheduling like a mofo and not much fun to be around. At all.

But I’m grateful! And not just because I finally have my period back - although that's certainly a factor too.

Why? Because, my body is telling me something. It's a clever, all-knowing vessel of wellness and it has a message for me. So I’m listening (loud and clear - believe me!) and nourishing it accordingly.

My friend and Chinese Herbalist Amy O’Brien from Fabulous Health wrote an awesome post for TOM Organic a little while ago about how a woman’s period is a reflection of the month that has just passed. A chance to tune in and tweak things for the coming month. Which I love.

So for me? Less stress - way less. More herbs. More acupuncture. Less alcohol, sugar and grains. Oh, excluding the Cookies & Cream Kit Kat I had yesterday, naturally - old habits die hard. Less intense exercise (for now) and more rest throughout the other weeks of my cycle.

Because as “fun” as it’s been catching up on TED talks, books and blogs for days, I don’t really connect with the idea of spending a week of every month, on the floor, moaning, in the foetal position.

So, thank you period pain, truly grateful, but looking forward to you moving on, my friend.

So, beautiful, there’s a couple of things that don’t normally spring to mind when I’m collating my gratitude list, but that I truly am thankful for.

Can I encourage you to do the same? To dig a little deeper and delve into the darker areas of your life, the ones that are currently teaching you more about yourself in a tougher-kinda-way. The ones that are presenting you an opportunity to be the alchemist of your own life, by transmuting dark into light? Let me know in the comments, yeah?

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*Image from 'One For The Money' paperback cover illustration, 1965