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 alot 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 breathe, 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 for quite awhile 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 – 1/15 – 1/21/2015

Today I’m thankful for…

1/15/2015 – A good pair of shoes.

During the day today I’ve walked over 5 miles between meetings, taking an office tour, lunch, catching the bus, and crashing at coffee shops.  Despite the hustle-and-bustle of today my feet still felt like I’d just gotten out of bed.  Painless mobility is in itself one of the purest forms of freedom, and I’m thankful to have it while it lasts.

1/16/2015 – Community.

We often derive the greatest sense of self-worth and belonging when we feel like a part of a community.  Community comes in all forms.  Fans of sports teams are a great example – wherever you are around the country, fellow fans will often give you a rousing greeting if they see you sporting the “your” colors.  The two of you are complete strangers yet you feel connected to them.

Communities are powerful both personally and societally.  Communities provide us with support, encouragement, and empowerment.  They also cultivate a common ground that brings strangers together, helps forge new friendships, and gives many of us a sense of direction and purpose.

1/17/2015 – Being busy.

I’ve long said that it’s better to be busy than bored.  The former is generally productive (or necessary) in one way or another while the latter is basically a “waste” of our precious time on Earth.  I’m thankful to be endlessly curious, driven to chase dreams, and to have people who desire my time.

1/18/2015 – Games (and friendly competition).

Today is a big day for millions of people as they cheer on their favorite teams to fight for a chance to go to the Super Bowl.  Around the world are millions more rooting for teams of all kinds, competing in card games, video games, Trivia Crack (thanks for putting it away for a few minutes to read this 🙂 ), and an endless number of ways we as humans have created ways to compete against one another.

Although it doesn’t always seem friendly, the fact we are able to channel our innate competitiveness in healthy, fun, and challenging ways is really awesome.

1/19/2015 – Caring people.

I opened a fortune cookie during lunch today (shown above) and it seemed fitting to include on #ThankfulThursday.  In a previous post I gave thanks for my supportive family and friends.  But being caring is a complimentary, yet independent quality.  The caring people are those who will offer to help (or just listen) without me having to ask for it.  At the very least they are the ones who think about you from time-to-time and wonder what you’re up to.  They are the ones who empathize in the best and worst of times – the ones who rise and sink alongside you.  The odds are there are far more of them in your life than your realize.  I’m so fortunate to have so many people in my life who truly care for and about me.

1/20/2015 – Hot water.

Beyond just having access to clean water, hot tap water gives us an invigorating and refreshing way to kick off your morning shower – and a relaxing way to soak and let your stress wash away.  It may seem subtle, but the day your hot water heater goes on the fritz is always a day you swear to never take for granted how much you enjoy having hot water at your disposal.

1/21/2015 – Variety & spontaneity

It’s said that variety is the spice of life.  If that’s the case, being spontaneous is the best way to inject variety into our lives.  If anything, the ability to improvise is a gift because my life has given me enough wiggle room outside of my day-to-day necessities to do something unplanned.  I often find that I am happiest after doing something on a whim – like grabbing Froyo at the end of a run or meeting an old friend for happy hour at the last minute.

More generally, I’m extremely thankful that I’m afforded a lifestyle that doesn’t channel me through a repeating labyrinth day-in-and-day-out.  I never know exactly what each day will bring, who I’ll meet, what I’ll end up doing, or even where I might end up going – and that keeps life interesting.

From you

A special thanks to those who shared last week – you’re inspiring and I love hearing new perspectives.  From last week I’d like to feature:

I am thankful I have come to understand the range of emotions a human being is capable of experiencing. From the lowest of lows all the way to the highest of highs. – Sarah M.

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?

“Of all the attitudes we can acquire, surely the attitude of gratitude is the most important and by far the most life-changing.”  — Zig Ziglar

– EH

From past weeks

1/8/2015 – https://www.evanhiner.com/thankful-thursday-182015/

1/15/2015 – https://www.evanhiner.com/thankfulthursday-1152015/