12 Days of Self-Care | Be Grateful

I’ve been thinking a lot about what Thanksgiving means to me. As a kid, it was playing with my cousins, drinking Cherry Coke and eating stuffing. As a 20-something, it was about sharing the holiday with our international family while we lived in Tokyo. Now, in my mid-thirties, I’m reevaluating. I went through a period of time, most likely due to having babies, where I looked forward to the food and family but didn’t really think about what this holiday meant for me at my core. 

This week, I’ve been trying to wrap my head around Thanksgiving in a way that allows me to appreciate life more on a daily basis. Finding things, big and small, to be grateful for is what I’m looking for. Because if I wake up in the morning and identify those things, I think life will gradually get more beautiful. 

Cultivating a beautiful life and not letting gratefulness slip away is a form of self-care because it brings us joy and peace. 

I’m grateful that my children are healthy and happy. 

I’m grateful that I have a husband I love and that he loves me right back.  

I’m grateful for food to eat, a roof over my head, a bed to sleep in, and a good book to read at night. 

I’m grateful for music.  

And snow.  

And sun.  

See how easy that is? Simple, everyday things are a good place to start. They matter and make life beautiful.  

Your turn, my friends! What are you thankful for?