Thanksgiving just passed so it’s a natural time to reflect on things to be thankful for.
I see Thanksgiving as a chance to spend concentrated time with family and a reminder that a thankful heart should be cultivated and emphasized in spite of our busy lives.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
This verse is packed with encouragement to cultivate an attitude that is joyful (always) and thankful in all circumstances (that includes even when it is hard).
Let that sink in.
I like this verse because it leads me to think of things bigger than myself.
It’s a good perspective check too. Reminding us that even in our discomfort and discontent, there are still things to be thankful for.
The practice of being joyful and thankful when the circumstances aren’t conducive is usually the last thing on our minds, but it is a perspective that will greatly empower our ability to find things to be thankful for in any situation.
Things to Be Thankful for Right Now
I’m not trying to teach you how to be thankful. Instead, I wanted to share some things that I am thankful for in hopes that they can inspire your own gratitude list.
1. Your Significant Other
Our significant others are the people we spend the most time with. I am very thankful that I enjoy being around my husband and I enjoy him as a person.
Some would say your significant other should just ‘get’ you. We have found that a core reason we connect is that we both just enjoy who the other person is as a person. This mutual feeling is something I am very grateful for.
It helps us to connect on multiple levels and offers all sorts of opportunities for deep and interesting conversations. It also means that we are both invested in what the other is working on, pondering, or striving towards.
2. Communication
This may be an odd thing on the list of things to be thankful for, but I am thankful for communication.
I am thankful that my husband and I have actively work on our communication skills. A textbook on interpersonal communications was an early topic of discussion in our relationship. I am thankful that he had the foresight to really take notes in that class! I have learned a lot about communication from him and our discussions.
Setting the foundations of good communication skills between us early on has been a huge bonus for us in our marriage. Communication can always be better, whether it is with your spouse, your friends, or your family. I am thankful to be able to have people in my life who help me get better at communication every day.
3. Parents
Parents are the reason we are here on this earth (and God of course). I am so grateful for my parents. They have done their best to equip me to live a life on purpose.
Almost everything I know from a foundational level has come from them. From money management, to work ethic, to spirituality, to prayer, to what a marriage should look like, to cooking, to hunting, it has all been founded on things they have taught me.
I am so thankful for all the life experiences and lessons and the solid childhood they provided me with. The closeness of my original family unit will always be something I cherish.
4. Health
The human body is an amazing organism.
Health is the level of homeostasis in the body or the self-regulating process by which biological systems tend to maintain stability while adjusting to conditions that are optimal for survival.
The fact that my family and I, for the most part, enjoy good health is not something to overlook. Our health affects us every day. I am also thankful to live in a world that has so much access to medical care.
5. Siblings and Family
Outside of my parents and significant others, I am thankful for my brothers and their families. It’s interesting to think about how much of our lives are spent with our siblings before we grow up and move on to create our own families.
My brothers were like built-in friends, once we grew up and all got less annoying. We had so many inside jokes and shared so many life experiences. I am very thankful to have shared my childhood with my siblings and to continue to share life together, even though it takes more effort and intentionality these days.
And now for the obvious, I am thankful for my family as a whole. All my nieces, nephews, cousins, sisters-in-law, mother-in-law, father-in-law, and extended family all enhance my life and add valuable connections.
6. Work
While work may not be at the top of your list when thinking about things to be thankful for, work is a big part of our lives. I am thankful for all the progress in the workplace and to have work that is fulfilling and safe. Imagine working in a less developed place in the world.
Not only do I think work is something people were created to do, but I also see the opportunities to work to build a business or career as a blessing and something to be thankful for. Not to mention the freedom to choose where I work. How fantastic is that?
To balance that statement, our degree of choice and freedom relates to our level of money management skills and needs. Things like bills, health, lifestyle choices, etc. all play into our level of freedom when it comes to the work we do.
7. Money
I find understanding money fascinating if you couldn’t tell from my money talks posts. It is the currency that helps us live our lives and at times it feels like a too-real game of balancing life costs with lifestyle choices, all in relation to how we make money. I am thankful to have money in the bank to invest with, live on, and manage to the best of my ability.
8. Reading
It feels like I write more these days than I read, but then again re-reading what I write does add up. Reading is still my first love. I am thankful that I got to unplug from life for five days over Thanksgiving and not write or get on the internet hardly at all. Instead, I spent time in nature, with family, and also rekindled my desire to read.
I read a short story, a book, and half of another book and was pleased to glean from the ideas and topics presented in each. Reading felt like a superpower to me as a kid and I am thankful for the ability and opportunity to partake in this enriching activity.
9. Internet
While the internet can be a wild place that hosts hate and darkness, I am thankful for the many positives of the internet. I remember going to the library to use the internet for myself for the first time. It was such a crazy concept, searching for topics of interest and getting results from all over the world.
This blog has been a great avenue for me to constantly write, edit, publish, and repeat. I know for a fact I wouldn’t feel the same level of motivation to do so without knowing that I have a few visitors who come to this site. I am thankful for the tool that the internet is. Especially since it has allowed me to work remotely and have more freedom as an adult than ever before.
10. Coffee
I am thankful for coffee. This is a beverage I truly enjoy. A warm latte or cup of coffee always makes me feel homey. My family was constantly brewing coffee around the house and when I finally started drinking it in college and felt that first jolt of caffeinated energy, I was hooked!
Coffee still makes my things to be thankful for list, even though I have since cut ties with having the beverage on a daily basis. I realized after 30 days of no caffeine that I tended to be more even keeled and liked myself better, or at least, hated myself less without daily caffeine. Now, I enjoy a latte as a treat here or there.
11. God
To round up this list, I am thankful for God and the relationship I have with him. God is a constant in my life. Even when I don’t feel close to him, I know it is just a matter of time before I encounter something difficult or extremely positive or any number of things that brings me closer to him.
I am thankful that he still convicts me and shows me things in my life. Things that are wrong and rooted in pride and sin. The presence of his conviction is not a comfortable thing, but it is a comforting thing. It is a reminder that God continues to sanctify me and mold me into a better, more Christ-like person.
Things to Be Thankful for in a Difficult Circumstance
At the beginning of this post, I talked about being thankful in less-than-ideal circumstances.
So I thought I’d share that I am currently not thankful at all to be up late writing under a time crunch because I dropped behind in my pre-drafted blog posts. (I usually like to stay ahead at least 2 weeks, preferably 4 weeks, but that is rarely kept up.)
This small example of an uncomfortable circumstance still has plenty about it that I can be thankful for. I am thankful for the chance to write weekly. The creative and also the rather scientific elements of blogging have both helped me to grow as a writer and to grow in my knowledge of building a business in the online world.
I am thankful that this blog has forced me out of my comfort zone in more ways than one and that it is a challenge. The challenge and constant backend things to learn about website design and development keep me on my toes and have helped me to grow as a problem solver more so than anything else in my life.
I am thankful that this space has forced me to become more disciplined in showing up for myself when it comes to writing. Even though many times it feels like an empty song and dance of just going through the motions, the repetition has become a sort of system over this past year and only holds the promise of getting better (of so I hope).
What is something that you’re discontent with that you can still find things to be thankful for?
Benefits of Being Thankful
When thinking about things to be thankful for, just know that the act of pondering what to be thankful for is a beneficial act alone. Check out these benefits from Harvard Health Publishing.
1. Being thankful can make you happier
Devoting time and energy to being thankful and thinking about the things you are grateful for has been shown to increase happiness and contentment in life.
This fact is backed by positive psychology studies. And as this oft-quoted Health Harvard.edu article put it, it is common sense that being grateful can improve your life.
2. Gratitude can help with depression and anxiety
Practicing gratitude can also help keep depression and anxiety at bay because practicing gratitude correlates to a higher level of happiness. When you spend time being grateful, you are not spending time devoted to worrying or the looming feelings of anxiety. Thinking of positive things creates less space for fearful things.
3. Being grateful can improve relationships.
When we express gratitude to others, it strengthens our relationships.
A small gesture of sincere gratefulness between partners has been shown to increase overall positive feelings in a couple’s relationship. It also works to make partners more comfortable with bringing up matters of concern to their partners.
This positive side effect can help improve honest communication.
4. Being thankful has the power to motivate
Have you ever had a boss or teacher stop by your desk and thank you for your efforts for the company or school project? If not, that’s too sad. I know the rare times one of my bosses would come by and thank me for my work would always make me more motivated.
