10 Things to Be Thankful

Find reasons to be thankful.

It’s time to give thanks. According to experts, people who focus on the things they are thankful for will live a longer life. Even if it’s not accurate, the truth is that when you focus on the good, positive, and uplifting you will live a better life!

10 Ways to be Thankful

1. My Spiritual Life – although I’m not where I want to be, I am so far from where I use to be that I can’t help but be thankful.
2. My Husband – he was my first love, my high school sweetheart, and it still catches me off guard some days when I think about us being married (it’ll be 14 years this Dec).
3. My Children – they are a blessing in their words and their actions. Each one is unique and special and they make my days much brighter.
4. My Family (yes, this includes in-laws) – they are a bit on the peculiar side, but that makes them a perfect match for me. There are days when I would have a hard time getting by without their love, support, and assistance.
5. My Friends – I almost put them under family, because that’s how it feels, but I decided to give them their own category. These are my walking sticks – the people that get me through when nothing else possible could (and sometimes when I don’t want them).
6. My Writing – I’ve always dreamed of being a writer, and last year I finally began pushing that dream towards reality. The more I do it, the more I know I have to do it.
7. My Home – Our family has been blessed with a secluded home nestled against a creek along the bottom of the mountain. There are hundreds of trees (some a hundred years old) that shelter us and keep us cool in the summer. The kids run and play and mom has a great place to garden. It’s our own little paradise, and it is truly an inspiration to me almost every day.
8. My Dreams – Each day I can get up and look forward. I know that I am going someplace and I know that the outcome is good (even if I don’t always know the details).
9. My Pets – Technically, they are almost worthless, but they make me smile. The dogs don’t bark at strangers or cars (the only way I know there is someone in the drive is from the dogs running around back to chase the squirrels – even the pets are peculiar in our home). The cats are good at catching mice (which is extremely important when you live in the woods) but they love to leave them somewhere you are most likely to step on them. Still, when they lay down to let you pet them, or curl up in your lap purring, you tend to forget all the rest.
10. My Body – It’s important for me to value what I have, even if it IS a work in progress. My body may not be as tight as it was in college and it may not be as thin as it was when I got married (things that I am determined to bring back) but it gets me where I need to be and helps me do what needs to be done.

You can find a way to be thankful if you want to be thankful.

Taking an inventory of the things that I am thankful for will help me avoid the negatives. This morning started out fine, but I quickly fell into a funk -no rhyme nor reason, just blah – but writing out these 10 items not only pulled me back to positive but it actually helped me deal with some issues that have been creeping up and causing me distress.

My life is blessed, and for that, I am truly thankful.