For the last six months, first thing in the morning, I have written down five things for which I am grateful.

It’s really interesting to see what comes up each day.

Recently I have been grateful for: friends, my passport, my family’s health, my determination, great food, coffee, holidays and the freedom to make my own choices.

What has surprised me most is how often work comes up in my daily gratitude list.

Work often seems like such a burden, particularly on a Monday morning. The whole world seems so hard! Waging war against the strong desire for a sleep in, battling along on public transport or fighting traffic, dodging airborne germs as people sniffle and sneeze. Lamenting with colleagues about how good the weekend was, and how long the week feels like it will last!

Yet I look over my gratitude lists and I see it written time and time again – work. My job. My career.

It got me thinking I should have been a little more specific about what it is that tickles me about work at these moments. But, since it is a ‘first thing when you get up’ job, my lists are usually short, sharp and to the point.

If I wasn’t so bleary eyed, I’d probably write some of the following.

I’m grateful for my work because:

• I work with beautiful people everyday. People who are strong, funny, intelligent, passionate and committed. People who make me laugh, who care about me and make me welcome, who drink coffee with me in the morning and share a celebratory drink at the end of the week. People who are at work to make a difference, in every way they can. People who, as well as doing their work, are also looking after their partners, children, parents, grandchildren, pets and themselves. People who make my every day a blessing.
• I work on important issues. Working in human services is about exactly that – humans. My work is my contribution to try and make the world a little bit better.
• My work is an ongoing education. As well as the formal opportunities I have for professional development, every day I learn something new, from what I read, who I talk to, or who I work with.
• My work keeps me busy and keeps my achieving. I celebrate the little wins and know that I continue to get better at my job all the time.
• My job is secure. I am very lucky to have a stable job, with leave and other entitlements.
• My work gives me a steady income, which allows me to make choices with my money. My income gives me independence and options, whether I choose to use it to save, travel, shop, eat, explore or give it away.

My job is not perfect. I don’t think I know anyone who has the perfect job. It’s also not always easy, and I certainly have my bad days. I am however, lucky to have my job, and I will continue to be grateful for it, and all the options it allows me.

Rowena Southgate (aka ‘Ms Alchemy’) is based in Melbourne. While she would love to write as an occupation, she still needs to earn a living. This living so far has seen her work in research related to employment, in policy related to disability services, in HIV prevention in Vietnam, and also in the sexy world of communicable diseases. An acute observer and amateur photographer, Rowena likes to think twice about she sees in the world around her, and what it would take to make it a little bit different – for the better.

I’ve been writing and re-writing this post. Trying to find a pattern, a rhythm, a balance, in talking about my reflections on the year. I’m finding it very difficult – to list the accomplishments over the year seems like bragging, yet treating them with brevity and flippancy seems disrespectful to what I have achieved.

So, I’ve decided I need to change tack. I don’t need to tell you what it is I have done – just that I am very proud of it all. In the last twelve months, I have started things from scratch, continued with previous activities, and finished things that have been important. I’ve let go of relationships that held me back, I’ve renewed friendships that make me feel good, and started some new relationships with people who are strong, supportive and on my side. I’ve learned to understand my body better, to listen to it, to give it more of the fuel it needs, and have avoided the things that weigh me down. I’ve sought advice and support in the right places, and learned to quiet the voices that cause self doubt. I’ve persevered with building myself up when I thought I couldn’t. I’ve stopped sabotaging myself when I fell into old habits. I’ve tapped into some creative outlets, with the hope that one day, they will flow more easily. I’ve challenged myself in many different ways, and brought myself both to tears and to laughter.

While it hasn’t been perfect, 2012 has been a good year. It’s been a good year because I’ve had support, strength and a vision for the person I want to be. I’ve also been determined to make my world different, and better in any way I can.

And it’s with this sense of accomplishment that I will plan my year ahead. For me, 2013 will be a year to build on the momentum I am gaining. I will continue with my current projects, start some new ones, and leave some old things behind. I will inject into every day the experience I have gained in 2012 – the successes and the failures. And, with a sense of pride in what I did in 2012, I am setting out to make 2013 even better. I hope you too can see the good in yourself, the great work you have done, and that it is just the beginning of many wonderful things to come.

Rowena Southgate (aka ‘Ms Alchemy’) is based in Melbourne. While she would love to write as an occupation, she still needs to earn a living. This living so far has seen her work in research related to employment, in policy related to disability services, in HIV prevention in Vietnam, and also in the sexy world of communicable diseases. An acute observer and amateur photographer, Rowena likes to think twice about she sees in the world around her, and what it would take to make it a little bit different – for the better.