This is a list of 10 things you (yes, you!) can be grateful for every day.
- The ability to make someone else smile.
You have the ability to make someone else smile, which is among one of the most precious (yet underappreciated) gifts you can give someone. It doesn’t take much; a simple compliment, an “I miss you,” or even sharing a funny meme to someone’s wall can make their day. You have that power! Isn’t that incredible? - The internet.
If you’re reading this you have internet access. You have access to more knowledge than ever before in the history of the world. That’s huge. - Grocery stores.
Confession: going to the grocery store gives me anxiety. I have to be strategic about when I shop or I face anxiety, sometimes severe enough where I have to leave. BUT at the same time, the grocery store is a gift. In one moment you can walk in there and see more food than some people see in their entire lives. - Breathing and trees.
Isn’t it so cool the way elements came together exactly right to sustain life on Earth? And how when you breathe, you’re using what the trees produce, and when you breathe out, you’re breathing out what the tree needs to live? This particular symbiosis never fails to amaze me. - Bees.
Love them or hate them, if it weren’t for the hard work of bees, much of the food we love would disappear. Next time you eat an apple, sip a cup of coffee, or even wear a cotton shirt, extend your gratitude to the bees. - Your parents.
No matter what your relationship with them looks like, it’s important to be grateful for them, for they gave you life. Not to put any pictures in your head (ew) but if they hadn’t gotten together, you wouldn’t have been born and given the chance to live your unique life. - Your senses.
We use them all, every day, usually without thinking about it, but without them we wouldn’t be able to experience life the way we do. I can’t imagine life without being able to smell freshly ground espresso beans, or being able to feel myself petting a cat. If you have use of your senses, you are very lucky indeed. - Music.
Music is a universal language. It can be used to connect, to comfort, to inspire. Music’s power over us is infinite, when you think about it. Songs attach themselves to memories, ensuring that when you hear the song later in life you’ll get a pang of nostalgia, or maybe even a touch of heartbreak or fondness. Music can be, and often is, therapy. - Disappointments.
Disappointments get a little bit of a bad name. The truth about disappointments is that they show you what you thought was meant for you actually isn’t. Disappointments are humbling, and they challenge you to keep the faith and try again. - Your own journey.
Admittedly, this one is sometimes harder to be grateful for, especially when you’re low in life. It’s much easier to be happy and thankful for your journey when you’re on top and loving it; it’s much harder when you feel like shit. It’s especially difficult to do when you play the comparison game, which is sooooo easy in the age of social media. Don’t do it. As Quindon Tarver says in ‘Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)’“Don’t waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind. The race is long and in the end it’s only with yourself.”
You are on your own path, and things will happen when they’re meant for you. Just keep moving forward and doing your best to grow. There is no right or wrong way to experience life. 🙂
What are YOU grateful for today? Let me know in the comments.
Bonus: download this free self-care checklist for even more to be thankful for.
Stephanie Jean 