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.

It’s Thanksgiving week and I’m trying to be Thankful for the really big, fundamental aspects of my life that I’m thankful for. There are many, but here are the few that stood out to me this week.

#ThankfulThursday – 11/19 – 11/25/2015

Today I’m thankful for…

11/19/2015 – Shelter / Home.

Having a shelter and a home is so much more than just a place to go to at the end of each day. Having the luxury of staying dry, warm/cool, running water, and a comfortable place to rest and sleep is something I try not to take for granted. Our homes providing shelter is the basis for all other aspects of our lives.

Our homes are also a place for us to be ourselves and be welcomed as we our. Our safe place, physically, mentally, and emotionally. I’m thankful for the homes near and far where I know I can always go when I need sanctuary.

11/20/2015 – Fulfilling Relationships.

I’m extremely blessed and thankful for all of the amazing people I’ve met and made friends with over the years. I’m especially thankful for my amazing, supportive family. I’m also thankful that I get to meet such inspiring and interesting people every day in the startup community – keep moving mountains and inspiring me to do the same.

11/21/2015 – My Health, Medicine, & Nutrition.

I’m so, so thankful for my good health. We come to expect it in this day and age and there is so much that’s gone into our modern medical systems. I’m thankful that despite a significant knee injury 9 years ago that I can run, jump, and play as though it never happened.

Much of our health has basic nutrition and medicine to thank which allow our bodies to repair and defend themselves every day. Without basic medicine, antiseptics, and adequate nutrition our life expectancies would not be much different than they were hundreds of years ago.

11/22/2015 – The World is Getting Better. Every Day.

If a significant part of your worldview is created by watching the news, you’re probably getting ready for the “day of days” which is “clearly” imminent. However, by most measures the world is significantly better than it was only years prior – even the number of total gun deaths is far below its peak and continues to decline.

We still have big challenges ahead of us but I’m steadfast in my optimism that we can tackle them in the near future. I think that despite the improvements the world has seen in the past two decades we are progressively less tolerant of issues of any kind. This trend is a good thing when it helps drive accelerated change for the better. However, we must be careful not to let it consume us and lead us to believe that our neighbors and the world as a whole is broken when it’s arguably as good as its ever been.

Stop to remind yourself to be thankful that you live in arguably the safest, most abundant, and most exciting times in history.

11/23/2015 – Sharing a Laugh.

The bond of laughter is unlike that of any other experience to share. Laughing is contagious, it releases a whole bunch of feel-good chemicals into your brain. I’m thankful for every laugh I’ve ever had, especially those I’ve shared with friends and family.

11/24/2015 – Having a Great Support System.

Starting a business is a risky endeavor. It also takes a significant psychological toll in a way that is hard to understand until you’ve done it yourself. I could fail and potentially lose “everything.” I could find myself in stretches where it’s hard to get out of bed. I could feel really, really alone at times. I take the risks because I like having skin in the game for what I’m doing, rapidly solving problems, and being a creative force in the world.

But even with my motivations in the right place, my support system of friends, family, and friendly acquaintances makes all of the hard parts of starting a business so much easier. It also makes it all much less risky. I could lose everything material and I’d be just fine, and that’s a gift that I can’t be too thankful for.

11/25/2015 – The Bonds We Make.

Every day we meet people and we share tiny slices of time that link us together. We form tiny bonds that are the thread in the fabric of our lives. The cheery bus driver cracking jokes over the intercom or the checkout clerk with a nice smile that brightens our day creates a momentary bond.

We meet many people over the course of our lives, we make friends, we grow apart from others. We make friends with our friends’ friends. We are more connected than ever and I’m thankful for our ability to bond with others near and far for millions of reasons.

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?