All the Things I am Grateful For

Thanksgiving is right around the corner. As we near the beginning of the holiday season, it’s so easy to get caught up in its hectic energy. Precisely because of this, I find it so important to take time off from the busyness to think about everything that make our lives wonderful. We may be struggling with deadlines, projects, family responsibilities, personal strife, stressful situations; all the things that take our attention away from the present moment we are living in. These things can pull us in every direction and cause us to forget what we love about our lives. We cannot get through this life without having to face a form of suffering. We all have that commonality. It is what makes us human. It can be difficult to detach from our suffering though to see what lesson it offers us from a more objective view. One way to do that is to journal.

I find journaling offers me a way to reach parts of myself that I’ve long locked away, because I did not need these aspects of myself in my role as a businesswoman. Journaling has also given me the gift of remembering all the many joyous things that I love about my life. It’s so easy to forget these things and instead focus on what upsets us. So, I made the decision to practice giving thanks this week by journaling about what I am grateful for. I did so through a method of continuous free writing that allows me to reach a state of flow. It allows you to let go and gives you access to ideas, images, and words that might not come easily if the critical voice is amplified. I highly recommend doing this when writing about the things you are grateful for.   

In my “thanks giving” journal practice, I found that my experience as an immigrant informs many of the things I am truly grateful for. I know that I would never have succeeded in my business or my life in the same way if I had not come to the U.S. Women have more opportunities here to succeed in their careers than they do in other countries. I cannot express my gratitude enough for the freedom and entrepreneurial mindset that the American Dream affords those who work hard. It gives us all hope for better lives.

Another thing that I thought about while writing my gratitude journal was an anecdote that our family dentist often told my children, Sunny and Sabina, when they were young. He would say to them that they needed to brush the teeth they wish to keep. I understood this as a form of practice in which we attend to the things we cherish and want to hold onto, whether its people, health, memories, good habits, or things that are meaningful to us. A gratitude journal allows us to focus on the things we hold near and dear to our hearts. It also allows us to look at our lives through a lens of thankfulness, rather than one of resentfulness.

When the grass seems greener elsewhere, it is time to think about the things in our lives that make it so worthwhile. This can help us weather the storms we face and can give clarity to our lives. While journaling my pen flowed from one thing to the next. In addition to being thankful for love, family, friends, good health and meaningful work, I’ve decided to share a few of these with you here and hope it helps you think about what you are grateful for.

I encourage you to write a “thanks giving” journal this Thanksgiving week. Perhaps you might consider incorporating this into your weekly habits. You will see how it changes your perspective on your life.

I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving this year and hope you have a wonderful holiday!

PS, If you’re willing, I’d love to hear what you are grateful for too. We all have different things that we love about our lives. Feel free to share them in the comments.