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 – 11/12 – 11/18/2015

Today I’m thankful for…

11/12/2015 – LinkedIn.

Making valuable connections and reaching the people you need to find has never been easier. LinkedIn is one of the most valuable services I use day-to-day.

11/13/2015 – Academia.

Academia and academic research often receives alot of criticism. Those working in industry criticize academics of not considering real-world implications, practicality, etc. However, academia is extremely important because, in many ways, not having to world about immediate commercialization leaves them room to chase hypotheses that might otherwise never make sense. As a result, academia is left relatively free to discover ground-breaking innovations in the process of discovery.

11/14/2015 – Empathy.

Empathy is one of the key drivers that allows us to care deeply about others, particularly strangers. Without empathy, the World would be, without a doubt, a much worse place to live. It might even be true that empathy is what allowed humans to achieve our foothold on the World we now dominate.

11/15/2015 – Football.

Football is a glorious games, its physical toll aside. I think the special sauce football has over other sports is that it’s chock full of drama. Every play is potentially pivotal, a few seconds of play with nearly a minute of planning for the next move.

The game requires enormous amounts of physical skill suited to 11 different but highly-complementary positions. Intellectually, it’s like a game of chess – moves and countermoves. The right play at the right time can change the course of the entire game. And since the seasons are relatively short, every game really matters, and that only heightens the excitement around every game.

Pioneer Square – Seattle

11/16/2015 – Holiday Lights.

Holiday light decorations add a splash of light and color to areas that otherwise just exist in our lives. Light poles, trees, and rooftops suddenly become festive and give off a burst of energy that’s contagious.

11/17/2015 – Catching the bus right on time.

It’s the little things that can make my day sometimes. Walking up to your stop just as the bus pulls up is always a pleasant coincidence.

11/18/2015 – Feeling Safe.

Despite the turmoil associated with recent events, I’m extremely thankful that I have the luxury of peace of mind regarding my safety and the safety of those I care about. There may be localized chaos as is the nature of the world, but the world is getting better and safer and I’m extremely thankful for that.

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?