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 – 10/22 – 10/28/2015

Today I’m thankful for…

10/22/2015 – Spandex.

Spandex has changed sports apparel forever, from Under Armour to yoga pants, and is becoming increasingly common in everyday clothing (for better or worse). Spandex, when added to other common clothing materials, makes them more comfortable, wrinkle-resistant, and more breathable. Awesome stuff.

10/23/2015 – Adobe Creative Suite.

Photoshop, like Google, has become a verb for something. The Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Lightroom, etc.) are the tools used to create an enormous amount of the digital art and media we encounter every day and has allowed millions to launch careers as a part of the digital creative revolution these tools enabled.

10/24/2015 – “You days.”

Today is my birthday, the ultimate “me day.” While I don’t get super excited about the attention I (obviously) enjoy it.

These are days where we take care of ourselves and maybe even invite some other people to help us do so. Perhaps it’s much-needed rest and relaxation or a deep clean of your house/apartment. Maybe it’s running errands or catching up with distant friends and family. Whatever it is, it’s for you, and it’s liberating.

10/25/2015 – Blogs.

This might be “so meta,” but blogs have fundamentally changed how humans create and publish information on the internet. It wasn’t that long ago before blogs were a niche (yet blooming) corner of the internet. Today, blogs are the platforms where many millions share their lives, information, rally causes, and amplify sharing on the web – and it gets easier every day.

10/26/2015 – A Great Night’s Sleep.

I wish I could say my bedtime habits were better and that I woke up feeling refreshed most days. I often find this is common for curious and borderline ADD types like myself but I’m working on better sleep hygiene.

The reality is that I rarely wake up feeling really refreshed and recharged. But today was one of those days and I’m ready to take on the world.

Oh, and hey, if you need help getting a great night’s sleep, take a look here (/shameless plug).

10/27/2015 – Grills.

Grills deliver the primal joy of cooking over a flame with the convenience of a modern appliance. Need I say more?

10/28/2015 – How I Met Your Mother.

How I Met Your Mother is a TV show that has all the right ingredients: skillfully delivered humor, great character development, and relevant events / messages that apply almost scarily well to our actual lives. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that I’m basically Marshall (also from Minnesota, fairly tall, a similar personality in many ways).

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?