Thanksgiving is upon us once again. Now is the time of year when most families like to gather round the dinner table with one another and give thanks for all the things they have in their life. Big or small, it’s important to take note of all the amazing gifts that you have been given throughout this year. These gifts aren’t always materialistic, but most of them will be gifts that are hard to come by.
Gifts that only very specific people in your life will be able to give you. Either they will be altruistic or spiritualistic gifts that will move you in ways no object of desire will be able to. These types of gifts serve a very important meaning in our lives. They are the kinds of gifts that remind us of all the things that we have in life, and how these things remind us to forever be humble and kind.
Life is hard, at times very unpredictable, but always rewarding should we choose to embrace all the things that make life wonderful. Yes, we should be thankful to have for the gifts that are materialistic and help us live our lives in a very sufficient way. However, we should also be thankful for the gifts that not everybody is able to receive, or may have had at one point and time in their life and lost it for one reason or another.
We should be thankful for all that we have and have been given to make it this far in our lives, because not everybody has the same “luck”, support, will, or drive to see every hardship through. You may not be living your ideal life, or the life that you so desire (or maybe you are, and if so kudos to you!), but you are living a life that was meant specifically for you. That alone is more than enough reason to be thankful for everything that you have this Thanksgiving.
With that being said I’ve got a quick list of 10 super simple things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving!
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10 Super Simple Things to Be Thankful for This Thanksgiving
- Your health
This may seem like something weird to be thankful for, but as someone who has spent the last good 6 years of her life worried about a benign cyst turning into something fatal, I’m telling you now your good health is something to be extremely grateful for. You may not be in the best shape of your life, or even remotely close to where you want to be, but the fact that you are still in good standing is more than enough to be thankful for.
Take this time to appreciate the fact that you are able to catch and throw a ball, that you have legs that will get you from point A to point B, and that you have a heart that has refused to give up on you yet. Appreciate the fact that you do not have to spend countless hours and nights in a hospital room, and that you are able to enjoy many activities in life simply because you have the energy and bodily support to be able to do so. There are many people in this world who are not able to, so take time to be thankful for the fact that you can.
- Your family
They may drive us crazy sometimes but at the end of the day they are your family. I understand that most families are not close to one another, some may not talk to one another, and some may just flat out have no kind of relationship or acknowledgment of their family. So, if you do have any kind of connection with your family appreciate it. This doesn’t have to be the type of connection where you and your family are stuck like glue, but any kind of connection is one to be thankful for.
Even if it’s the kind where you just pick up the phone every once in a blue moon to say “hi” and nothing more. My parents once told me that we come into this world with our family and that when it’s time for us to leave our family will be the one to send us away. Whether you believe this to be true or not, you can’t deny the fact that family connection is the one thing that we all crave in this world. Even if you don’t find this connection within your own family, look to the people who make up your life and feel like family to you. Those are the people you need to be thankful for.
- Your friends
Just like our family our friends are something we need to be thankful for as well. They make not always be the one person we want to be locked away in a room with, but they will always be that one person we will want to turn to for all the good and bad that happens in our life. They make up a support system that we won’t find anywhere else. They support us unconditionally, they let us know when we are wrong (with love), and they protect us just like they would protect their family.
Your friends are like your family. You may not be bounded by blood but you are bounded by spirit and by love. That’s more than enough to lean on another, to be there for each other, and to be thankful for all the real friends that you have this Thanksgiving. They’re one of a kind.
- Having a place to call home
This goes without saying but it’s always a very comforting feeling knowing that you have a place to call home. A place where you can escape from the world, a place where you can peacefully rest your head at night, and a safe place where you are able to fill up the space with nothing but love and receive it in return. A lot of people do not have a place to call home, and for those who do a lot of them are not able to proudly say that they find such comfort in their own homes. If you are able to find this kind of love and comfort and much more, appreciate it.
Don’t take it for granted. For those of you who are not able to find this kind of love and comfort in your own home, know that home is where the heart is. Even if your heart is not with the house you may rest your head under every night, know that wherever your heart is, is your home. You should be thankful for that because it’s not every day you hear about people opening up their homes to others. Even if that home comes from a friend, another family member who is not a part of your immediate family, or a significant other. Home is where the heart is and that’s something to be thankful for.
- Your ability to laugh
I truly believe that laughter is the best medicine. Even when I’m going through some of my toughest battles, laughter has always been the light at the end of the tunnel. Laughing actually strengthens our immune system, in which case I like to believe it makes us stronger. This is why I think it’s so important to surround yourself with genuinely kind people.
When we are surrounded by people who make us feel good, make us feel safe, and make us laugh, we’re surrounding ourselves with positivity. Having positivity in your life makes you feel strong, happy, and empowered. At the end of the day these are the traits that are going to help us live a longer life, and are going to keep us alive and healthy from the inside out.
Smile and laugh often because it’s contagious and the act of doing it will help you live a more fruitful life.
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- Your ability to love and to be loved
Love is so precious, so fragile, and at times so rare. Sometimes we allow ourselves to get caught up in our anger and our sadness that we often times forget about the power of love. Love unclouds our minds and helps us see through the window of our heart. Love helps us believe in the power of hope, it strengthens our faith, and it gives us purpose. Whether you know this or not love gives you purpose.
Love also makes the holidays feel that much more special, warm, welcoming, and inviting. Everybody wants to feel this kind of love during the holidays. As hard as it may be to believe this, a lot of people miss out on the power of love on a daily basis. Especially during the holidays when we all need it most. Unfortunately, not everybody has people in their life who love them unconditionally. As you can imagine this can lead to a very lonely life. If you have this unconditional love in your life. Be thankful that you are able to love and be loved this Thanksgiving, and spread that kindness onward.
- The sunshine that greets you every morning
This seems so weird trust me I know but the sunshine in our life has a purpose. When I sat down and wrote this list honestly this was one of the first things that popped into my mind. As you can see, I made it halfway through the list before I couldn’t avoid it anymore. And I’m not sorry about it. Every morning when I wake up and I see the sun I get an overwhelming feeling of hope. Hope that today will be better than yesterday, and that the present day will set the tone for the rest of my days.
Of course, this isn’t always true. Some days are indeed going to be a lot better than the day before, but there are also going to be days that turn out to be worse than the day before. However, it’s not reason to lose hope in the idea that there are better days ahead of you. Having that little bit of hope is what really keeps me fighting, and if you learn to see the sunshine in this way it will keep you fighting as well. I promise it can do the same for you, maybe even do something more for you, so from now on don’t just greet the day with coffee. Greet it with sunshine and coffee sprinkled with a whole lot of hope.
- Your mind
We are in control of our thoughts, feeling, and actions. It’s one of the few things in this world no one can take away from us unless we allow them to. Be thankful that you have the power to choose. Be thankful that you have the power to naturally feel things based off of situations and the way people make you feel. Be thankful that you have the power to make decisions to better yourself. Be thankful that you have the ability to think for yourself, to feel your own emotions, and to make your own decisions.
Manipulative and unhappy people will always try to one up you, and they will always try to do this by personally attacking the greatest parts of you. I was once told the most dangerous people in this world are the ones who you never know what is going on inside their head, or how they feel about things. The fact that you have the power to control what’s going on in your head, and how you feel about things is truly a blessing. Be thankful for it, even if it isn’t always all flowers, rainbows, and butterflies inside. You never know who is out to get you, but at least you know you’re not out to get anyone else.
- Your job
Whether we like it or not be thankful that you have a way to pay your bills and care for yourself and your family. There will always be time to chase after your dreams, to push yourself to get that promotion, or to just straight up take control of your career. There will always be time to slow down and make your life great. It’s not a race it’s a marathon and if you burn yourself out in the beginning, you’ll have nothing left to give at the end when it matters most. All of the things that are meant for your life will happen when you are ready for them to, so don’t rush it.
Be thankful for what you have right now because a lot of people don’t have a steady paycheck, a job to fall back on financially, or even any form of income coming in. A lot of people don’t have a job to complain about and try to do better than what they are currently doing right now. Your job allows you to be able to survive in ways that a lot of people are not able to. Don’t take it for granted. Be thoughtful, be courteous, and above all be grateful. It makes life just a tad bit easier.
- The moon and the stars
Be thankful that every night the moon and the stars light up the sky reminding you that you’re never too old to dream! You’re never too old to better yourself, you’re never too old to want something more. Don’t be greedy, be thankful and mindful of all the things you currently have in life, and don’t be afraid to want more for yourself in life. Know that you really can have everything that your heart desires you just have to have the will to keep striving for it.
The moon and the stars give me hope, they give me faith, and they tell me it’s ok to dream big. It’s ok to start over. It’s ok to want more. They’re a reminder that the sun will rise. Darkness is not forever and the light will always come.
And come it shall.
Happy Thanksgiving love bugs!
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-Xo
Kimora