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 – 2/5 – 2/11/2015
Today I’m thankful for…
2/5/2015 – The Journey.
Every day I truly, full am thankful for the journey, and not only for the destination. The destination – be it the job you’ve been after, hitting a target weight, buying the new gadget you’ve been after – is but a blip on the radar, the final step in a bigger adventure. For those who know me well, they know I’m never complacent, there is always more to learn, discover, and do. So, in a roundabout way, for me there is no “final” destination, everything is a journey.
The destination is just the inspiration, and the journey is where all the magic lies.
2/6/2015 – Memory.
Our memories preserve what we’ve experienced – the moments good and bad, that make up our lives. Our memories are our internal documentation of our journey through life in full-sensory form. We can write it down, but it’s how those events felt that make them real to us. I’m thankful that our lives aren’t just written in our brains but that they can be consciously recalled whenever we want or need them.
2/7/2015 – Cleanliness.
It’s hard for many of us to truly appreciate the cleanliness we are afforded because there are so many small things that go into it, yet for many of us it’s always just been that way. And by cleanliness, I don’t mean being organized or “picked up,” I mean general sanitation and protection from the natural disorder of nature. I thought of this while watching the movie Interstellar, where in an era in the future sees the Earth failing to support the life we rely on – farming and agriculture. The result is apocalyptic dust storms that cover every surface and cannot be escaped.
Yet for us in cities, even the streets are remarkably clean, let alone in our homes. Dust will slowly accumulate, but with a relatively small amount of effort is taken care of in our homes so well-insulated from the elements. This make general hygiene, fighting bacteria and infection, and maintaining quality breathable air amazingly easy.
2/8/2015 – Laughter.
Laughter is one of the relatively few forms of expression that spans every race of Human on Earth, even by babies in their earliest days. It’s also shown to be contagious, releasing endorphins when we laugh and we hear the laughter of others which has a nearly-instantaneous and medicinal quality that’s hard to fully appreciate. Laugh today, and help someone else do the same.
2/9/2015 – The “valleys” in life.
Some might say that the “dips” and troubles in our lives exist simply to give us an appreciation for being on “level ground.” While in the Valleys, sometimes so deep where it’s perpetually dark and hard to imagine finding your way out it can be impossible to think of your situation having anything good about it. Fortunately, Humans are “relative beings,” meaning we almost always measure ourselves relative to the past. Only when we have been blessed – yes, blessed – to know how deep the valleys can be are we able to be fully appreciative of how high the peaks can be.
2/10/2015 – Authenticity.
I often find I’m most profoundly influenced by simple acts of pure authenticity. It could be the genuine compliment from a friend or from a great chat with a new acquaintance who has no agenda and who doesn’t hold back their true thoughts and feelings. It is when we are completely genuine that we open ourselves up to connect with people in a truly special way, and I’m thankful for how inspiring that can be.
2/11/2015 – Photography.
This one has a similarity toe being thankful for “memory.” Photography supplements our memories, makes them more vivid, and allows us to share those experiences with the people we love. Pictures can be used in powerful ways that capture pivotal moments, intense emotion, and the subtle details that make up the world around us. Movies provide us with an escape and the imagery allows us to relate to experiences we’ve never had and reconnect with those from our past. Photography can also inspire in ways that other expressive mediums cannot.
A Mexican child sitting on the edge of a bus stop shelter on the street. Photo Credit
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.” —
