when you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life, for your strength. give thanks for your food and for the joy of living. if you see no reason to give thanks, the fault lies in yourself.
one of my favorite times of the year is almost here!! THANKSGIVING!! while my day will consist of eating too much turkey and watching too much football, it’s also a time to reflect and give thanks. below are some of my reasons to be thankful, because appreciating and being thankful for the littlest things in life is what makes all the difference in the world.
1) new notebooks and a fresh, brand new pen that writes beautifully.
2) card games and board games (the hours, fun and fights that have ensued over uno, scattergories, monopoly and risk are some of the best hours i have spent in my life).
3) finishing off a to-do list (of course mine are handwritten so i get that satisfaction of actually crossing the last thing off with the above mentioned pen).
4) best friends.
5) new friends.
6) parents and grandparents.
7) group chats that showcase a sense of humor only the participants understand. (#steadychugging)
8) technology: food delivery apps, uber, whatsapp, facetime. convenience and making the world feel like a smaller place, what’s not to love?
9) mountain views.
10) ocean views.
11) norwegian chocolate.
12) foreign accents. #swoon
13) falling in love.
14) finding both a saltmate and a soulmate.
15) harry potter tv marathons.
16) movie theater popcorn.
17) cooking dinner at home because you can, and you enjoy it!
18) lazy sweatpant sundays.
19) inside jokes.
20) reconnecting with someone you thought was out of your life forever.
21) setting goals and reaching them.
22) upgrades.
23) the smell of your favorite perfume.
24) fresh flowers.
25) the northern lights.
26) oysters and champagne.
27) remembering the lyrics to a song you haven’t heard in years (but sadly realizing you cannot remember someone’s name you have met 10 times recently. it’s tom, right?).
28) WINE!
29) german beer.
30) a much needed massage.
31) saunas.
32) when your team wins a massive game.
33) friends and family who listen to you talk about your broken heart and support you when you think you’ll probably die from the pain.
34) finding old pictures and yearbooks from childhood.
35) jumping into a pool when you’re super hot.
36) haribo.
37) knowing you have faced your fears and survived to tell the tale.
38) laughing so hard you cry.
39) finding someone who shares the same dreams as you do.
40) traveling with your parents as an adult.
41) autumn in new england.
42) ice skating on a frozen pond early in the morning.
43) realizing that there are some really good people on this planet… and accepting there are some really shitty ones here too.
44) trash shoots in your apartment building.
45) watching the snow fall while you’re under a blanket inside with candles lit.
46) wood burning fireplaces.
47) family vacations.
48) a refrigerator stocked full of food and drinks.
49) a memorable dinner with a friend.
50) crazy karaoke nights where EVERYONE sings.
51) live music.
52) falling asleep in the sun on a boat in the ocean.
53) spending all day cooking a meal from scratch.
54) greek food.
55) a clean house or apartment.
56) finding hidden notes someone left in your apartment.
57) a small, thoughtful gift for no reason.
58) a text to just say i miss you, or hi, or i love you, or have a great day….
59) seeing your dog excited after you have been gone for 5 minutes.
60) warm sheets and towels fresh from the dryer.
61) straight from the oven homemade chocolate chip cookies.
62) trying something new and LOVING it.
63) handwritten notes.
64) your go-to outfit that makes you feel like a million bucks.
65) being outside: hiking, swimming, kayaking, paddleboarding, picnicking, bbqing. anything.
66) emojis. 💯🚀🤷🏼♀️🤪👏🏻💃🏼🦃💥
67) the ability to renew your drivers license online.
68) finishing a really intense workout without giving up.
69) children asking funny, but highly inappropriate questions.
70) crossing something off your bucket list.
71) an unexpected weekend trip away.
72) comfy, worn-in hoodies.
73) going to buy something you need and finding out it’s on sale.
74) growing your own vegetable garden.
75) realizing you’re an adult and can eat candy for breakfast if you want.
76) realizing you’re adult but sometimes still need a shoulder to cry on.
77) bare feet in the sand.
78) hearing the ocean as you fall asleep.
79) being in the right place at the right time.
80) when someone makes you a sandwhich – they just always taste better when someone else makes them for you.
81) finding notes from your besties in middle school you totally forgot you saved.
82) listening to your grandma’s stories and realizing what an awesome life she has had so far.
83) firsts: your first kiss, first visit to europe, first love, first job offer, first anything.
84) the glow of candles in the winter.
85) small european villages.
86) dinner parties with friends.
87) a perfectly made irish coffee from buena vista in san francisco.
88) health, wealth and happiness – however you define them.
89) the iowa state fair. just go sometime, you’ll thank me later.
90) amazon prime.
91) finding the perfect greeting card for a specific person and sending it to them in the mail for no reason.
92) global entry. seriously, the best travel thing ever.
93) the smile you see from someone when they pick you up at the airport (i’m with the movie love actually on this one).
94) road trips with amazing playlists.
95) unexpected surprises.
96) watching both a sunrise and a sunset on the same day.
97) rooftop bars overlooking the city.
98) cozy cuddles on the couch.
99) spending the day with someone doing nothing and everything at the same time.
100) knowing that no matter how shitty your day is today, tomorrow is a new day and another chance to start over.
happy thanksgiving everyone!!! and remember, life is what you choose to make of it. it will never be perfect and it will never happen the way you want, but that’s what makes it interesting. go be happy, go live your dreams, spend time with those you love, tell someone you love them even if it’s scary, face your fears, accept uncertainty, jump off that cliff, laugh, cry, dance, and sing. do it all because we only get one chance at this and there is nothing scarier in this world than regret.
#givethankseveryday
conquering continents 
Great post 😁
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