All too often we only set aside one time per year to really, truly give thanks for all we have. Even those who feel they don’t have a lot have one thing we should all be thankful for; the gift of life. Beauty is all around us and if we can capture that sense of continued awe when we stop, take a breath, and appreciate all of the things we enjoy but take for granted, the world instantly looks like a better place.

Gratitude and appreciation is truly the conduit to happiness, a sense of purpose, and a fuller life. I’ve been meaning to start a gratitude journal now, and the idea struck me that it would be even more powerful to share it and inspire others to do the same. My aim is to find one thing to be grateful for each day which will force me to dig deeper to see tiny details that make our lives great but go overlooked.

Without further ado:

#ThankfulThursday – 8/6 – 8/12/2015

Today I’m thankful for…

8/6/2015 – Window Cleaner.

This is probably an indication of some level of OCD – but there’s something satisfying about the streak-free shine of sparkling clean glass.

8/7/2015 – College.

I’m thankful for college in a general sense as an institution for a higher, next-level form of education. It presents a unique growth opportunity to learn to become a well-rounded person, to become extremely well-versed in one or more areas, to make great friends who you work hard and play hard with.

It’s a (trans)formative experience that is often not particularly fun – but it does push us forward in remarkable ways. More than anything, it’s a place where deep learning is championed and great thinkers are often born and groomed – pushing the state of the art in front of them.

8/8/2015 – Summits.

The Pacific Northwest is amazing for its many amazing natural wonders and the trails that allow us to safely experience it all. There’s something particularly symbolic about summit hikes. You hike and climb for hours, often deep in the trees with little reference to how far you have to go or how far you’ve come.

But then you make it. You break through the trees and step over the crest of the Summit. You didn’t know how long it would take you or where exactly you’d be headed – but you know when you make it there. And when you do, it’s breathtaking and you feel alive and inspired.

I think so much about that is a great analog for the journey of our lives. We’re on a path, we’re not exactly sure where we’re going, or how long it will take to get there, but we have a rough idea of where we are going – up. And it’s only after the occasional break in the trees that we can see how high we are or how far we’ve come – but we march on.

And when we get there, we know it. But not before the grueling ups and downs along the way – and without the struggle it wouldn’t feel so rewarding and it would be much more crowded. It’s a great place to pause and enjoy being alive – just as we should recognize and bask in the Summits of our lives when we encounter them.

8/9/2015 – Perspective.

With all of our uniqueness – who we are, where we’ve come from, our genetics, and our collective experience – we each have a unique perspective on life and the world. When you really think about it, it’s amazing and a little bit stressful. We will never see the world the same way as anyone else. How would we ever agree with anyone? Would you even want to be friends with someone who saw the world exactly as you do?

It’s amazing when you have those moments that takes something that feels scary or overwhelming and they are framed in a way that suddenly makes everything look and feel different. That’s the magic of perspective – it’s all relative.

8/10/2015 – Being Light-hearted.

I think one of the things I’m most grateful for about who I am is that I’m light-hearted and optimistic. I tend to brush off the icky parts of my life and celebrate the little wins. The world just feels less complicated that way and I can worry about the things that matter. And when the things that matter get tough – it makes it easy to keep going.

8/11/2015 – Forgiveness.

A friend of mine asked an interesting question the other day that got me thinking, “What does forgiveness even mean?” At first this may sound a bit silly – but what does it really mean? Does it mean you don’t “blame” someone? You don’t harbor any ill emotions? Does it mean you empathize or sympathize with them?

Regardless of what it really means, it carries a powerful premise in a world of mischief, violence, and unintended mistakes. As dark as human nature can be, forgiveness represents the salvation of our souls when they’re polluted with resentment, hate, and bottled up feelings.

8/12/2015 – Bikes.

Exercise. Transportation. Meditation. Entertainment. An escape. Bikes carry us efficiently wherever we choose to pedal them – all we need is the time and energy and we can go. That’s freedom.

Your turn

I’m always looking for more inspiration, so tell me, what’s one thing you’re grateful for from the past week? I’ll share a few submissions during next week’s post and intend to keep that going all year long. While I love #ThrowbackThursday, I’d love to see #ThankfulThursday take off too.

The more we can say thanks, the better off we’ll be. Especially because we don’t know if we’ll be able to say “thanks” to those we care about tomorrow or to those who’ve touched us that we’ll never cross paths with again – why wait?