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 – 10/29 – 11/4/2015

Today I’m thankful for…

10/29/2015 – Pets.

Pets are like little buddies that are there whenever you need them. At the very least, they add a dynamic and interesting aspect to your life.

10/30/2015 – Shipping Services.

We often take for granted how easy it is to call, click, or text and stuff comes to our door for a few bucks from all over the world. The problems that logistics network faces are not so easy and are downright amazing.

10/31/2015 – Halloween.

What I like the most about Halloween is it’s at least one day out of every year where we all accept, well, just about anything. There’s a liberating aspect to being able to be ourselves or express ourselves however we wish.

11/1/2015 – The Smell of Winter.

There’s a crisp, cool, dry smell that comes when Winter settles in and it reminds me of being home in Minnesota and the Holidays. I’ve always loved the Seasons, even if the particular season isn’t my favorite. Variety is the spice of life.

11/2/2015 – Crock Pots.

I’ve slowly come to depend on my crock pot more and more. I can put a bunch of ingredients in a big bowl and let it safely sit all day. Convenient, simple, and tasty.

11/3/2015 – Clearance Rack “Jackpots.”

Scoring great new clothes for really, really cheap is always a satisfying win-win.

11/4/2015 – Chocolate Milk.

This should speak for itself and it’s well-known amongst my childhood friends my love for a big glass of chocolate milk.

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?