What Are You Thankful For?

A couple of months ago I got some incredibly useful advice from a good friend: Every morning as you wake up, think of three things you are grateful for in your life. Even though it may seem silly at first, I've been doing this for a few months, and it has made a big difference in my overall mood when I wake up (especially since I'm not a morning person). There are no real limitations on what you can list, and there are no right or wrong answers. At a certain point this process becomes a habit and can help you wake up with a positive mindset - which can make a huge difference, particularly on days when you need to be productive. Over time, I've noticed that what I'm thankful for in my life generally falls into a few categories. As cheesy as it is to post on Thanksgiving, I figured there is no better time to share:

Friends:

"See everything; overlook a great deal; correct a little. " - Pope John XXIII

I am truly thankful for the wonderful friends who help me maintain a balance, not only within our friendships but in life in general. To me, friends are people who I can always count on and who accept me for who I am - but also challenge me to learn from my mistakes, reach my goals, and improve. They are people who strive to understand me but who also help me understand myself and the world better over time. That balance is not easy reach and it continually changes for everyone. To my friends, I cannot even begin to express the depth of my gratitude. 

Places:

"You can fall in love at first sight with a place as with a person."  -Alec Waugh

There are so many places I am thankful for. Sometimes it's the school's tennis court, where I can keep my mind off of everything. Then there's my local coffee shop where I've met some of my favorite people, written some of my favorite poems, read some of my favorite books, and tasted some of the best coffee. Often it's the dock, which can serve as a quiet place of deep thought as well as a place of pure relaxation. I can't forget the Sunken Gardens, where I've done everything from marveling at the beauty of the stars in the night sky to streaking as a part of the triathlon. Each time I visit these places I have wonderful experiences, but they also remind me of previous memorable experiences. I love finding places that make me feel at home and comfortable, even when I'm somewhere new. 

Objects:

“Poetry lifts the veil from the hidden beauty of the world, and makes familiar objects be as if they were not familiar.” - Percy Shelley

Often there are material objects in my life that hold meaning only I understand, and we all have objects that hold special meaning to us. They remind of us wonderful times and people in our lives. I have a friendship bracelet that I made with my best friend from middle school, and I still smile every time I see it. I have a song my friend and I recorded from years ago, and I still laugh hysterically when I hear it. I have a journal of poetry that I've kept since high school, and it's still fun to see how my writing has changed over time. However, Even things without sentimental value that we see on a regular basis can trigger emotions or inspire us. My favorite poets of the romantic era often wrote odes to objects that seemed mundane or ordinary, but framed them in a way that made them seem beautiful. John Keats believed that everything was beautiful, but that each object required a different kind of light to reveal its true beauty. For me, our campus is an example. Although I enjoy walking through campus during the day, something about the night sky above the scenic campus is just more beautiful to me. Everything, from the leaves and trees to the lights seems slightly different, and it is all peaceful. 

Through this process I've become much more appreciative of all that I have in my life. You'd be surprised at how much just stopping and thinking about it can do - So I challenge you to do so: What are you thankful for?