November - Full of Thanksgiving & Gratitude
Hello dear November and hello dear friends!
We made it to November, one of my favorite months. A lot happens in the month of November and the excitement within me begins to swirl around so fiercely that I can hardly contain my JOY.
With November comes the promise of cooler weather, Thanksgiving break (from school), days off from work for the holiday, Christmas commercials starting, Christmas on Hallmark is on, fireplaces are lit, scarves are worn, cinnamon and pumpkin scents fill the air, bon fires are ablaze, s’mores are roasted, turkeys are bought, and there are many birthdays this month. All hail Scorpio season! We will reign it all in. It.is.GLORIOUS!
I had planned to write a post about being thankful this month and it dawned on me that I shared a similar post back in 2017. I took a little peep at my old post and pretty much summed up everything I would say again! So let’s take a look at my (ever so slightly revised) list of things to be grateful for:
- Freedom of choice & speech - God gives us free will to make decisions in how we live our lives, and to choose our government as well. Many live under government or religious rules that restrict what they do, say, or wear.
- Our jobs - even in its momentary drudgery at least you have a job while others may be searching for one. It's been a tough year for everyone.
- Education - we are provided with education in our country that other countries cannot afford, and the ability to choose higher education if desired.
- Our family & friends - even the ones you may not get along with. Each person serves a purpose of learning in our lives.
- The roof over our heads - whether it's your dream home or not, many people in the world do not have shelter or a structure to call home.
- The food we eat - healthy or not, it is a luxury to have food within our reach while so many people are starving around the world.
- Health - all of it. What you may have happening may be miniscule to what someone else is tackling with their health.
- Love - can you imagine a life without it? Knowing someone truly cares about you unconditionally provides comfort within the heart.
- Laughter - smiling, joy, laughing until you cry. Those moments fill your heart with energy.
- Animals & babies - because their innocence is pure and not only do they do funny things as they're learning & growing, but they also humble us to see the world through their eyes when we've often been jaded by life experiences.
Sums it up pretty well right? Those were more serious items that we truly should consider in our daily thoughts and reflections because many people have it way worse than we could ever imagine.
Here are some silly things that I am thankful for on a daily basis:
- Internet - where would we be without the ability to connect online and work remotely among other things.
- Air Conditioning - it wasn't that long ago that our relatives were living without it.
- Exercise equipment - for those of us who are not outdoorsy.
- My pups - they make me smile and laugh every day.
- Traveling - after Covid-19 causing everything to shut down, I have never appreciated nor desired to travel more than I do now. I miss seeing new places.
- FaceTime / Zoom - I know this helped us all endure the quarantine and social distancing.
- Voting - I think I took this for granted until this year. I am thankful for the women who fought for us to have the right to vote.
- Online shopping - the ability to safely receive anything we need by delivery is a pure luxury.
- Almond flour and coconut flour - because when you know, you know.
- Christmas music - always and forever.
Here are some ways to foster an atmosphere of gratitude within your family and home:
- Write it on a sheet of paper and put it into a jar to read on Thanksgiving.
- Write one thing about each other that you're thankful for each day.
- Write something you're grateful for on a leaf or leaf shaped paper and tie/pin/glue it to a tree to make a pretty craft out of it.
- Write something you're grateful for on a paper feather and pin/glue/tape it to a turkey each day.
- Say a prayer of thanksgiving each night of the month, allowing each family member the opportunity to speak.
- Begin a 365 day journal that you write something you're grateful for in life or about your loved ones.
These are cute ways to remind yourself everyday and appropriate for the season, no doubt!
Is there anything that stands out to you? This year was tough, no doubt, but it caused me to reflect on the things I do have.
Comment below what you’re grateful for.
XOXO
