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 – 8/27 – 9/2/2015

Today I’m thankful for…

8/27/2015 – Carbon Fiber.

It makes stuff that’s super strong and super light. Plus the finished product often looks incredibly beautiful. Plus it makes big airplanes much more efficient.

8/28/2015 – How It’s Made.

As a curious soul I’ve always found myself asking “I wonder how they do/make that.” How It’s Made entertains my curious pleasures for way, way too long at a time.

8/29/2015 – Tupperware.

Keeps food fresh. Allows me to take food to the office with me. Stackable. Washable. Pretty great stuff.

8/30/2015 – Not Being Picky.

I occasionally realize how much I observe other people, and one thing I find too often is that people are really good at getting worked up over things that really, really don’t matter. And to me, many of these details are things that come off as “picky” and I’m glad I don’t have that to reckon with ontop of all the other craziness in life.

8/31/2015 – Kettle Chips.

I don’t know how these took so long to catch on, but that crunchy texture trumps regular potato chips every day of the week.

9/1/2015 – New Homes.

Although the process of moving is one of my least-favorite activities there’s always something refreshing and exciting about a new place to call home.

9/2/2015 – Cardboard.

Cardboard is everywhere and it’s so transparent to us (not literally, of course). The process to create corrugated cardboard is especially cool – with zig-zagging paperboard glued to two panels of paperboard – and the end result is a sturdy, lightweight, and inexpensive tool to package, store, and create with.

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?