Simply Sarah: Thankful for thanksgiving

“The more you recognize and express gratitude for the things you have, the more things you will have to express gratitude for.” — Zig Ziglar

Yes, I am thankful for Thanksgiving.

I am thankful for the way it allows me a whole day with people that I love, a day to speak aloud all the wonderful things that have happened over the last year (or three wonderful things as is the case in my family…we have to limit ourselves. It would take a week, or more, if we were all able to say everything)!

I crave that time to pause, sit with loved ones, and to reflect on what the year has brought me. Every year I find that I leave Thanksgiving dinner (usually after a long nap) wishing that there was a tiny bit of Thanksgiving in each day.

So, this year I was inspired to do something different. My dear friend Heather said that she was going to record the things she was grateful for each day, in the month of November, on Facebook leading up to Thanksgiving. I have decided to join her!

Why should we only express gratitude on one day a year?!

Here are some of mine from the month:

“Day of thanks #4: Coffee with Alexis before work, crisp fall air, feeling really productive today, eating leftovers from the soup I made last night, naps on the couch with the warm sun shining on me, working out at GymCore CrossFit and lifting way more weight than I though I could (and getting two new PR’s!) thanks to the epic combo of encouragement and butt kicking from Greg, sweet surprise notes from old friends from high school, sore muscles from a good workout, having a landlord who is going to deal with the squirrel issue.

”

Sarah T - that's me...

This is a few months ago, when I thought that 65# would be too heavy...

“Day of thanks #8 and #9: Dates with Jordan and Julie , lululemon athletica wunder unders….(how are they SO amazingly comfortable all the time? I may never take them off.) Quiet office all to myself, coffee in a red mug that looks like a bucket, sunshine, sunshine, sunshine, new haircut… expectation of great things to come in this day.”

See what I mean? It's just....so happy!

“Day of thanks #19: Fall leaves blowing in the wind, candles that smell like Christmas cookies, new songs to learn and write on my heart, flannel sheets, breakfast with my amazing, wonderful, consistent, wise, humble, and favorite Dad, new brakes in the car, snuggle time with beautiful little ones, joy, hope, the smells of fall, crisp air with sun in the sky, a cup overflowing. ♥”

My Dad and Me: How could you NOT love this man?

Not only was this super fun, but what I have found over the last month is that these gratitude’s completely overpower any minor bump in my day. The bumps, seemed to pale in comparison to the sheer number of things big and small to be grateful for. I found myself looking forward to the surprises of gratitude I would see in the day ahead: A sunrise, hug, phone call, my favorite song on the radio, time to read a book, my family.

I have decided to offer myself up a challenge, and I would love for you to join me. I am deciding to not let Thanksgiving be the only time I outwardly express my thanks. This year, I am going to use Thanksgiving as a launching point for the weeks, and months to come, to meditate each day on even just ONE thing I am grateful for. I think you will find, as I have, that like Zig Zigler states…. “The more you recognize and express gratitude for the things you have, the more things you will have to express gratitude for.”

Some other things I am grateful for this year: