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 – 6/4 – 6/10/2015

This week I’ll be heading back home to Minnesota and then going up to our cabin at Lake of the Woods for a family reunion. You’ll notice a theme in my Thankfuls…

Today I’m thankful for…

6/4/2015 – Vacations.

A break, a reprieve, new memories, R&R, adventures, new places, new faces, time that goes too fast while simultaneously slowing down the pace of your life – vacations are many things to many people. Each one has a different purpose and a unique place in your life. One of the really great things about vacations is that it gives us a checkpoint in our lives.

We have something to look forward to and are then able to decouple ourselves from our busy lives, take a step back, regroup, and ponder a bit. A vacation might even just be a “staycation” where you can get a little rest and relaxation. These little escapes are important because they allow us to look at our lives from a different perspective, even for just a few days – and that “distance” from our day-to-day lives can have a huge impact on how we live out our days in the future.

6/5/2015 – Bug Repellent.

Mosquitoes & ticks – natures sneaky psychological terrorists. They’re far too abundant in the North woods of Minnesota, and bug repellent is an absolute Godsend.

6/6/2015 – Sunscreen.

Fun in the sun all day long typically turns pretty miserable when you have sun burns. Thanks for keeping sunburns, weathered skin, and skin cancer at bay, glorious SPF!

Side thought: I don’t know why it is, but I really, disproportionately dislike putting on sunscreen. I’m not sure if it’s because it makes my skin feel greasy, an annoyance before going outside, or both.

6/7/2015 – Boats.

I really love being around water and I always loved playing in it as a kid. The sound of flowing rivers or breaking waves are extremely peaceful and are always a great natural background track. When you are out floating on the water you get it all and it somehow feels freer than walking around on the harsh ground back on shore. There’s also something great about having the crisp cool wind over the water blowing through your hair and across your skin. Watersports are always a blast as well.

6/8/2015 – Fishing.

I’ve thought alot about why fishing is enjoyed to the extent that it is. I think a big part of it is the simplicity that comes with it. You don’t have anywhere to be, you’re just casting, floating, and waiting for luck to strike. I think the luck aspect of it is also a huge psychological draw: you need to be in the right place, at the right time, with the right lure, and the fish needs to bite in the right way so it’s hooked well enough to bring it in. Ontop of that, whether it’s big or small, it’s still largely luck. The skill required is the icing on the cake – as you get better at picking spots (based upon time of the day, the weather, temperature, etc), picking the right lure, setting the hook the right way, the right amount of line tension, etc.

6/9/2015 – Fresh Air.

It’s good for the mind, body, and soul. It’s refreshing as it is pure.

6/10/2015 – Tournaments & Championships.

The NBA Finals this year have been amazing to watch. They are the best in the world at what they do and the best collection of players as a whole. They’ve also matched up amazingly this year to make for some great, gritty, hard-fought basketball.

In any tournament an underdog can put together a once-in-a-lifetime performance and upset the heavyweight, and anyone who eventually win has to put together a string of successes to make it all the way to winning it all. It’s fun to watch and fascinating to see the range of human skills, abilities, and emotions on display. It’s a great analogy to life but in a short period of time and a more basic objective.

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?