This post is going to be a little different for me, but I hope you all will enjoy it just the same. We are about to enter into the month of “thankfulness” – you know November! I like to think I’m pretty thankful for things year round, but with the craziness of every day life, I rarely stop and think about my blessings, and I don’t mean in the #blessed way, but I mean in the truly blessed to be alive and healthy way.
I think sometimes I unintentionally “stop” and do it when I capture a sunrise or beautiful and peaceful street – but day to day it’s hard.
Living and working in the city you see a lot of sad situations. I was on my way home from work recently and saw a family with two small children, both of whom were in wheelchairs. My eyes immediately started to well up with tears for obvious reasons, but more so because there were things that day I was so annoyed with and probably could have handled better, but it was nothing compared to what people face every day. It usually is an encounter like this that sparks something in me, be it empathizing with them, feeling for them or whatever that emotion, I feel it and for a few days after have a hard time shaking the feeling of needing to improve myself. This time instead of forgetting that feeling, I wanted to actually do something about my outlook.
I like to think of myself as a genuine and kind person, but I can be better.
I like to think of myself as a supportive and caring wife, but I can be better.
I like to think of myself as a good sister and daughter, but I can be better.
I like to think of myself as a genuine and kind person, but I can be better.
I like to think of myself as a supportive and caring wife, but I can be better.
I like to think of myself as a good sister and daughter, but I can be better.
There are things I know I can improve upon and rather than worry about to-do lists for this next month I want to focus on bettering myself in the ways I mentioned above and focus on things that I have to be thankful for. I think if I can make this a priority for myself – it will be second nature going forward.
I want to challenge myself to do that because I think it will make the weight of those to-do lists and never ending tasks (that I willingly add on myself) less of a burden!
So rather than wait until the day before Thanksgiving to share what I’m thankful for – here’s a few I am always thinking of!
~The ability to get out of bed every morning and greet the new day
~My health and the health of my family
~My ability to work and do things I’m passionate about
~The ability to come to this space every day and speak to you!
Hope you have a great Thursday! How do you stop yourself from forgetting the blessings that you have?
Girl we are so alike. I teared up yesterday because I saw something similar in the city. I try to be very intentional about counting my blessings and striving to be a better person. I recently started writing down things I'm thankful for every night so I don't lose perspective. You have an incredible heart and are quite inspirational, thanks for pushing us to be better!
I love this post. I literally just posted about how I was having a complete and utter breakdown earlier today from being overwhelmed and when I finally took a moment to just step back and take a breath, I realized how I was letting such little things (in the grand scheme of life) take me over.
Thank you for the reminder today, gorgeous friend! I definitely needed it.
Beautifully said. It truly is those little everyday things that fill your heart with gratitude. You, my dear, are precious and I am thankful for you!!
It's so easy to get wrapped up in the day to day busyness, until you see a situation like you mentioned and realize how little something matter in the overall scheme of things. Of course everything's relative, and sometimes it's impossible not to get caught up in the smaller things, but I agree it's so important to be thankful for everything and strive to be better! I want to start getting involved in some sort of volunteer program, maybe I'll add that to my November goals!
I think it's easy to get wrapped up in the every day stresses that happen around us. You're not alone in that. I think having the perspective about it, and the desire to do better is what makes you different from the person who just talks about it, or wallows in their own dramas. We could all do more, and be more intentional in life. Thank you for the reminder today, too 🙂
This post just shows what a kind and genuine person you are. It's easy to get caught up in our little problems when so many others are facing real issues. Thank you for the perspective and the motivation to do more.
Xoxo,
Whitney & Blaire
Peaches In A Pod
What a great idea! It also sounds like you can be thankful to feel so deeply about those (you know and don't) around you. What a blessing and challenge to have an open heart!
I wish we could all carry the spirit of the holiday’s with us all year round. I love that you’re kickstarting the thankful mindset so many of forget to focus on each day!
I pray for health every single night especially with what I see on a daily basis. This is a good reminder for all especially with the holidays approaching everyone is going to be that much more busy!
I'm really bad at stopping and being grateful for all I have. I was keeping a gratitude journal for a bit and should probably get back into it. On my really bad days I remind myself that someone else would be happy with the life I lead and therefore I should be too. Great post. Trish – tales from trish
once my dad died in march, i came up with a trick i do: every morning i think of 5 things that make me happy or 5 things that i am thankful for. it starts the day with happiness instead of dread. and coffee. coffe helps too! 😉
I absolutely love this. It's so easy to take advantage of the little things and it sometimes takes seeing someone in a worse off situation than you to remember to appreciate what you have. When I've had a stressful day I tend to focus on all the negative but you just reminded me that it's not the negative that's important, it's the positive. Thank you beautiful friend for the reminder! <3, Pamela Sequins & Sea Breezes
this is a wonderful post, girly! it's easy to get caught up in the chaos in life and just take a moment and stop…breathe…and appreciate all the amazing things! i think meditation def helps me in that regard. a reset! get back to neutral and just be happy 🙂
xoxo cheshire kat
It's so hard to not get wrapped up in the every day 'struggles' and then you realize that you do have a pretty good life. Matt reminds me of that often when I get into a tizzy about something that in the grand scheme of things is it really that big of deal!
So great. Love your attitude. Always good to have a thankful heart!
xx Leah / eatpraywearlove.com
Love this!! What a perfect reminder to recognize our blessings each and every day! You are beautiful, inside and out, my friend! I totally want to be more conscientious of what I'm thankful for each day!
Omgosh yes Biana! It's always when you see someone in a bad situation that you think to yourself how lucky and blessed you truly are. Happens to me all the time. I like to be thankful everyday too, sometimes I write random posts on Thursdays to motivate me to think about the big things more like waking up, being healthy… Thanks for the post! Xo
Wonderful post!
I really love this post. You are so right! I could always be better. Thanks for keeping it real today 🙂
Such a great reminder and it's so true. Sometimes I get annoyed by meaningless things and taking the time to stop and be thankful is so important. xo!
You should add this to my link up for Thankful Thursday 🙂
Different, but such a welcome departure this post is! It's easy to feel a swell of gratitude right before Thanksgiving but remembering to reflect and truly feel grateful and honestly want to be your best self is important all year round.
Yes! I love this post! It is so easy to forget how blessed we are just to be able to get out of bed in the morning! Working with elderly patients every day it is definitely a great reminder to just enjoy life because the simple things in life like walking may be taken away from us one day! So much to be thankful for!
<3 Shannon
Upbeat Soles
This is great! I had a situation the other day where I saw so many families who were struggling and I realized just how lucky we are in our day to day life even though we think the little things are the worst things. It's great to be reminded how amazing life is, and to be constantly grateful for all of it.
I love this post. I think it's so easy to take situations for granted. Reflecting is so important to be reminded of how lucky we are and all of the blessings we have.
I agree that there is nothing like someone else's true struggles to shake you out of your worries over something seemingly trivial. I try to reflect on things that I can be thankful for when something doesn't go my way or something happens.
Such a great post, Biana! So important to take a few moments to be thankful for all you have. I don't do it nearly enough! Thanks for the reminder and have a wonderful day!
xo, Rachel
A Blonde's Moment
I love this post because you are so right! We have SO much to be thankful for that we take for granted every day. There are people in our neighborhoods, cities, state, country and all over the world that live a truly hard life and I think it's so important to recognize this and reflect upon it!
Beautiful post, girl! I'm definitely guilty of getting caught up in the daily grind and stresses and forgetting what actually matters. We definitely all need a reminder on this topic!
Such an inspirational post!!!
Kisses,
Sarah
EverydayStarlet
Ahh this post is so, so true. I think it can be easy for ALL of us to fall into a rut and not be appreciative of the blessings that we have. That's always been one of my favorite things about the holidays how we acknowledge that, but you're right – we need to do a better job at this all year round! I've been wanting to get one of those gratefulness journals where you write down one thing each day all year that you are thankful for!
Such a great reminder my friend! ♥
I'm glad I read this today.
I like this outlook. We shouldn't ever forget all the blessings we have in our lives. Thinking about the good more than the bad is the best thing we can do for ourselves. (:
It's so easy to get caught up in all the craziness of the holidays, that sometimes it's hard to stop and remember everything that we're thankful for. And we shouldn't be focused on it on Thanksgiving or right around there either, it should be all the time. Such a great reminder to stop and take a minute to reflect on all the wonderful things that we all have in our lives!
Love this post Biana! We're so busy in our day to day lives that it's easy to get caught up with things that really don't matter. I have to remind myself constantly that it's not about what I do, it's about who I am. My kids definitely beam me back down to Earth because being a mom is the toughest thing I've ever done and it's so humbling. They put a lot into perspective for me and make me realize what is most important. Have a great day 🙂
Taffeta & Tulips
Oh girl I love this. I write in my journal each day and it has me reflect on things I'm thankful for. I try to take time each day to really think about my life and what I'm thankful for. I'm so glad you're doing this the whole month and not just the week of Thanksgiving like so many do. 🙂
This was such a great reminder! There really is so much to be thankful for each and every day! XO
Every night before I go to bed I list 3-5 things I'm grateful for in my head. It helps keep me grounded. I got in the habit of it and I do it all year. It's really important to me.
Girl this is such a great post! I think every Thursday in November I'm gonna do a Thankful Thursday post and just talk about all the things I'm thankful in life. I totally get emotional when I see people living much harder lives.
Love this post, Biana… it might be one of my favorites yet! It's always such a great reminder to be thankful for what we have. We often get so caught up in the day to day tasks that we forget to be thankful for the basic things in life that we take for granted. Thank you for posting!
Such a great post lady! And so true. Aaron and I caught ourselves b*tching about something the other day (I think it had to do with the house) and all of a sudden it hit me…like whoa, we are being so ridiculous – we are healthy, have good jobs (even though we don't always love them), a beautiful and safe home, family are safe and close by, etc etc…what in the world are we complaining for?! Definitely good to put things into perspective! xx
This is perfect. We all have to stop sometimes and really take a look at what we have and how blessed we are. Thanks for sharing this!
Love this post Biana! It really is hard to TRULY be thankful for everything we have and are able to do on a daily basis because it's not really something we are taught to do. It's so easy to forget and I always love coming across blog posts like this because it really does make me stop and think about this life and that everything I complain about on a daily basis (my job) really is not worth complaining about because I am truly lucky (that I even have a job) and need to appreciate it more!
Shannon
Clothes & Quotes
Love this! I cannot believe it is almost November! We are lucky to be healthy and surrounded by people love. I need to remind myself of this often.
oxox,
Traci
waltzmetoheaven.com
love this post girl. i really try and be thankful every day, but sometimes little things get to you.. the other day i was stressing out over where to go next summer, and i stopped and thought to myself stop it! you're being so ridiculous. so many people don't get to travel, and you're upset because you have to decide between lots of options?! and then there are so many people who can't do the things i take for granted – get out of bed, walk, run, etc. hit the nail on the head girl, i think we can all be a little better.
LOVE this! I can't give thanks enough daily but do love the month of extra thanks. Some things we have and don't even realize are such blessings other people could really need and I always try to remind myself to not take anything for granted. Praying and giving thanks for health for me as well as my family is the biggest thing to me!
How sweet are you?? Love this!! Will have to think about this as November nears…and as life goes on in general!
♥
Amber
All the Cute
Today’s Post: Long Weekend: Fall in Annapolis, Maryland
What a beautiful, heartfelt, thankful Thursday post. The two kids in a high-chair would made me tear up also. I used to do these types of posts every Wednesday when I started blogging about 3 years ago. I would call them "Wonderful Wednesday". I should start doing them again, at least monthly or bi-monthly.
You, Biana are a beautiful person inside and out and this post proves it even more!
Thanks for the reminder 😉 Kindness is flattering and when it's genuine its fantastic !
This post is the perfect way to welcome November in just a few days and it's great to remind me that there is always SOMETHING to be thankful for! Always!! 🙂 I love that first graphic, did you make it? I love that floral!!
xo, Candace | Lovely Little Rants
Great post and always important to be grateful for all that you have! I think about those things when I'm in the car on the way to work.
-Lauren
prettypiecesblog.com
This is so well written, Biana! Such a great reminder to count our blessings and not sweat the small stuff.
Wishes & Reality
Love this, B! Such a good reminder for all of us! We all go through hard things but there is pretty much always someone going through something worse. Thank you for the reminder to be thankful!!
AWESOME post, girl! People need to remember to be more thankful more often! 🙂
Yes! THere is so much sad in this world, esp this week!! It is SO important to realize how truly blessed each of us are! Thanks for this reminder too!
This is such a beautiful post, and an amazing reminder to bring us back down to Earth and remember what is important in life. <3
Julia // Little Miss Haute Couture
Loved this post Biana, this is such a great attitude to have!! 😉
Paula
Thirteen Thoughts
Love this so much. I am so stressed every single day that I often forget how blessed I am. I am healthy, have an amazing life, wonderful family and husband… I really have nothing to be stressed about. I pray that I can take a few minutes out of each day to just stop and realize how blessed I am!
I love this–Thankfulness is for all year long, not just thanksgiving!
I'm so with you on all of this. lol I wasn't Rd one of my kids to write about #blessed for the college apps, and how it's completely trendy and misused.
I had such a similar emotional day when DG and I went to the fair. I was complaining about my feet hurting and then saw someone who was having the best time who was not able to walk easily. I immediately started crying for being so self centered. I love your thoughts here. Thanks for the reminder and for sharing! xo, Champagne&Suburbs
Great post! Sometimes it takes something profound to really make you stop and be grateful for everything you have.
I love this post– these are all things I need to work on too. I think it's so easy to get caught up in every day life without realizing how good we have it. This was just what I needed to read going into a new week, and month!
I am totally in the same boat lately! I find myself being hard on myself, being unhappy about the little things, or just flat out being unhappy and then something makes me think wow, I don't have it so bad so chin up! It's definitely one of my goals right now to be more positive and have a better outlook. I love your goals on bettering yourself as well. So much to be thankful for! Great post!
Beautiful. Love that you're thinking about being thankful before Thanksgiving 🙂 You have a compassionate heart, my friend!
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