What I'm Thankful For
The season for food comas, family & friends, and respectable binge lounging has arrived! I have been reflecting on the event of the last year and the roller-coaster of the last few months in particular. After awhile, I thought it’d be useful to put some of my mental energy to focusing on the things I have to be grateful for as we head into Thanksgiving. When writing my laundry list of things and people I am thankful for, every item ended up falling into one of the following categories:
Family & Friends
Health
Travel
Safety
Freedoms
This past year has had some amazing moments, and there are way too many people I have to thank for all the wonderful memories I’ve made. From my friends, roommates and coworkers who make sure life is never dull, to my family who has shown amazing support in the face of challenging health events and life transitions over the last couple of months. Because of the fantastic support system I’ve found my way into, this year I have been able to travel to new countries, continue pursuing my passions, and achieve personal growth in a variety of areas.
Now the holiday season can be filled with a lot of stress and pain. I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge that many of us have had tough times in 2018; however, reminding ourselves of the blessings we DO have can be helpful. I believe that a baseline attitude of positivity can make a world of difference. I recently heard in a great talk from Ina Pinkney that “you only have to get up one more time than you are knocked down”. Pretty good words to live by, right? Since that talk, I’ve been actively seeking to maintain a glass half-full outlook. It’s not always easy, but finding 10 seconds each day to think about one thing that went right or made me smile has been an emotional / mental medicine.
As we march along to Thanksgiving and into the end of the year, I challenge you to take some time an make a list of the things that are important to you and the people in your life that you are thankful for (maybe tell them too).
Until the next time, I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving with excellent food, company, and joy filled memories!
