With Thanksgiving just a few days away I wanted to write my post this week around the holiday and all that comes along with it. It may be cliché, but I wanted to talk about being thankful and spend this post mentioning all the things in my life that I am thankful for. First and foremost I am very thankful that I have this blog to take the time to write for and hopefully spread my positivity. I figured why not use that to hopefully get others thinking about what they are thankful for as well.
Now that the year is going into its last few days I can’t help but think about all the change that came along with this year. 2017 was a pretty eventful year for both good and bad reasons. Even with the bad changes in life, it really is pretty easy to think of many things in my life that I am thankful for, so I wanted to start off with something that at first seemed like a bad change in my life this year:
I am thankful that I was laid off from my job this summer. It is honestly so funny to even say or think that but it is so very true. I have said it before, but this event in my life was the perfect evidence to prove the truth behind the saying “when one door closes, another door opens.” I spent the summer job hunting and in a way got a summer break (even if it was a stressful time). I reconnected with an old friend because of the new job I got because of it. I am now working a really good job that I genuinely feel appreciated at, and I have only been there for two months. I know my readers are probably getting sick about hearing about this, but back when I lost my job I couldn’t have asked for a better new job. The longer my job hunt was starting to stretch out, the more I was starting to think I needed to be less picky. I am thankful I didn’t.
I am also thankful for all of the people in my life. As I mentioned I reconnected with an old friend because of my new job and I am so happy I did. We are just as close (if not closer) than we were in high school and I am so happy to have that in my life again. I am very thankful for the friends near and far that have always been right here when I need them. I am also of course very thankful for my family. I am thankful that even if my sister Cheryl and I fight, we both know we have each other and would do absolutely anything for one another. I am thankful for my mom and dad and that no matter what they are also always here for me and even if we are driving each other nuts we all know it comes from a place of love. I would never be the person I am today without every single one of the people in my life.Because of the support system I have, both those by blood and by friendship, by birth or by choice, I have grown into such a (in my opinion) beautiful soul… I, of course do not mean that in a cocky way at all, but because of them I am able to look at life and see the beauty in it rather than the gloom. That doesn’t happen overnight and most of the time it does not happen without a little nudge in the right direction.
I am thankful that I am no longer mad at myself for gaining weight back. I am thankful that I no longer stare at the number on the scale and equate that to my worth. I am thankful that I made the conscious decision that my health is the most important goal. I am thankful that there is a gym that is literally a 1-2 minute drive from work so, until I work my momentum back up, I won’t have time to talk myself out of going. I am thankful that even on a stressful day I still sing in the car on my way to work. I am thankful that even on a bad day, I still wake up every day loving life. I am so incredibly thankful that I am able to keep a smile on my face, even if it is just a flicker of one, regardless of what I am going through. I have always felt that laughter is the best medicine and I am so thankful that I have maintained that attitude, especially through the last year.
I want to encourage anyone reading this page, even if you are in a different country and are not celebrating Thanksgiving this thursday, to take a few moments to think of all the things in your life you are thankful for. No matter how bad your life may seem at this moment, I am sure there is someone or something in your life that you are thankful for and can put the smile back on your face no matter what. Take some time to appreciate those things. We truly never know how much time we have left in our lives or how much time we have left with those we love. Never take the things you are thankful for for granted.
Before I close out this post I wanted to encourage everyone to truly enjoy themselves on the holiday. I know in the past I have felt so incredibly guilty on Thanksgiving especially after consuming all those calories… but it is a holiday that comes once a year. Indulge and enjoy the time with the ones you love without thinking about every morsel you are consuming. Sure, most holiday foods are rich and high in calories, but like I said it comes once a year and you are only human. Enjoy the festivities and do not feel guilty, but the most important part is to pick yourself back up the next day (or depending on how many leftovers are in your house, on monday) and get right back on a healthy track. Depriving yourself, especially during the holidays, is only going to set yourself up to fail.
I wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving and hope you all indulge and enjoy the day! I saved one very special thing I am thankful for. I am so very thankful for all of you for reading the words I put so much love into every other week. Thank you. :-)
