I can still remember the raw fear as Hurricane Melissa roared over Jamaica—the relentless wind shaking our windows, the pelting rain flooding streets, the air itself charged with worry and prayer. For hours, we held our breath, hoping, pleading for the safety of our loved ones, our homes, and our island.
When the winds finally faded and the skies cleared, what was left brought both heartbreak and awe. Trees uprooted. Roofs torn away. Everyday comforts—gone in an instant. The power was out, but the sounds of neighbours calling out to check on each other was the strongest signal of all: we were battered, but not broken.
I won’t sugarcoat it. In the days after Hurricane Melissa, there were moments I felt overwhelmed by loss. I walked outside and grieved for what we’d lost. But slowly, between the heartbreak and the heavy lifting, gratitude started to find its way through the rubble. A neighbour sharing bread. A friend lending a generator. The laughter that somehow bubbled up while sweeping out muddy floors. Even the sunrise—uninterrupted by city lights—felt like a miracle.
That’s when I realized: gratitude isn’t reserved for the smooth and sunny days. It’s a discipline, a shift, and sometimes, a stubborn act of hope. In the aftermath of destruction, gratitude has opened my eyes to the abundance of resilient spirit, kindness, and possibility that still fills Jamaica.
Reframing the Storm: Finding Bright Spots After Melissa
After a storm like Melissa, it’s easy for our minds to cling to what’s broken. Our brains naturally focus on survival, scanning for every threat and problem. But abundance often hides in the everyday acts of rebuilding and caring for each other.
The truth is, Melissa took much, but it also revealed the strength and heart of our people—something the winds could never touch.
Practical Gratitude Practices for Jamaica’s Recovery
Gratitude is more than wishful thinking—it’s a daily, nourishing practice. Here’s how I’ve been planting seeds of gratitude, even as we pick up the pieces:

1. Keep a Rebuilding Gratitude Journal
   Every evening, I write down three things I’m grateful for that day. Some days it’s as simple as clean water or a cooked meal. Other days, it’s a neighbor’s smile or the distant sound of music in the streets. The more you look for small blessings, the more you’ll see them.
2. Practice Mindful Appreciation Amidst the Mess
   Find beauty in the everyday, especially in what’s left standing. Notice the shade from a tree that survived, the laughter of children playing in puddles, the aroma of your morning coffee—even if it’s instant and made on a single-burner stove.
3. Offer Thanks Out Loud
   Gratitude multiplies when it’s shared. Thank the linemen restoring power. Hug the auntie who brings a warm plate. Text a friend just to say you appreciate them. Speaking gratitude aloud deepens its effect and lifts spirits all around you.
4. Use Prompts on Tough Days
   On days when gratitude feels hard to find, ask yourself:

• Who helped me today, and how?
• What did I manage to accomplish despite the circumstances?
• What reminder of “normal” made me smile?
• How did nature show up for me today?
  
  The Deeper Meaning of Abundance After Melissa
  After Melissa, true abundance looks different. It’s the strength to rebuild, the kindness in shared struggle, the hope that dawns even when the night before was dark. It’s realizing that while we lost things, we did not lose everything. We carry on with a spirit that can’t be drenched or blown away.
  My own gratitude practice became my anchor. Each day, I trained my mind to look up and around, not just down and back. With every bit of progress, connection, and new memory made, abundance revealed itself anew.
  
  Join Me on the Path of Healing and Growth
  If you’re journeying through your own storm—literal or otherwise—I invite you to join our circle of healing, hope, and growth. The Bossin’ and Blooming membership is a space to deepen your self-care, find community, and receive exclusive support and resources to help you not only get by, but bloom beautifully, even after hardship.
  Let’s rebuild together, inside and out. Invest in your growth, your joy, and your own inner abundance. Because even after the storm, there is so much more in store for you.
  Explore our membership levels and begin your transformation today. (https://bossinandblooming.com/membership-levels/)