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 – 4/2 – 4/8/2015

Today I’m thankful for…

4/2/2015 – Ink.

Ink is a pretty amazing stuff. It’s an easily-accessible way to leave our mark on the world. Ink allows us to write or share thoughts, create art, decorate, and document – and it allows those marks we leave on the world to last and even outlive ourselves.

4/3/2015 – Murphy’s Law.

Murhpy’s Law states that anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. At first glance it may seem a little sadistic to be thankful for this idea, but I think I have an interesting take on it. If everything that can go wrong will go wrong, it leaves us with an evolving array of challenges. We learn the most through challenge, and the pursuit of a challenge gives us meaning and something to work towards. So in a way, if we only had a limited number of problems we could expect to face, life would just get boring. Life is lived in context, and the hardships and challenges set the context for triumph and happiness.

4/4/2015 – Art.

Abstract, unique, inspiring, and puzzling. Art is an outward reflection of the intangible aspects of our minds that are hard to capture. Art comes in so many forms, but each of them speaks to a different part of our sense of being, perception, and interpretation – and it’s wonderful for that.

4/5/2015 – Puzzles.

Puzzles can range from fun to infuriating but they are great ways to exercise our brains and think of problems through new perspectives. Sometimes they can simply be a powerful lesson on the value of endurance to completing something – which is often what stands in the way of our goals in life.

4/6/2015 – Family.

Family can be broadly defined, but regardless of whom you consider your family, I’m thankful for mine. I’m thankful for knowing that someone will go to great lengths to support me if I need it and will support me even if I don’t. They give meaning to life and a connection that makes it all worthwhile.

4/7/2015 – Super glue.

It fixes and bonds stuff really well really fast. It’s pretty awesome! Thanks, good old cyanoacrylate!

4/8/2015 – Humor.

I’m thankful that we have a sense of humor (even if some of us seem to lack it, there’s still something in there). The power of laughter is remarkable and contagious, and I’m thankful for all of the humorous content that makes it easier to laugh every day.

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?