As Thanksgiving approaches, the time comes to intentionally reflect on what we are the most grateful for in our lives. Every year, I take a few minutes on my own to think about the parts of my life that I am the most grateful for. Each year, I immediately jot down things like my loyal friends, loving family, and good health.
On TikTok, recently, I have begun to see videos that state “How lucky am I to…” followed by aspects of life that most of us either take for granted and/or don’t necessarily look forward to on a daily basis. People have included the sentiments of “How lucky am I to… have the ability to take difficult classes that challenge my thinking,” “How lucky am I to obtain an education that will set me up for my future success,” “How lucky am I to have stress about experiences in my life that motivate me to be my best self,” “How lucky am I to have something I care about so much that I might feel overwhelmed at the time,” and so many more. The whole point is that many of the things that we dread, we are actually lucky to have.
When I began to see these videos, I started to think about my own life and my perspectives on given scenarios. I thought about all of the opportunities I have that I find myself dreading, complaining about, and not appreciating as much as I should. After a long day of classes and homework, it can be easy to fixate on the stress and challenge that comes with school. However, when I think about it, every class that feels so difficult at the moment is teaching me something and challenging my growth for the better. Not everyone has the opportunity to obtain a college education, and so many individuals would find gratitude in the challenge if it meant that they would be set up to better achieve their goals. This really changed my mindset. While I might not love studying for a big exam at the moment, how lucky am I to have something that motivates me to learn and master something new? When I feel like clubs and meetings are overwhelming my week, I think about how lucky I am to have organizations that align with my values and allow me to meet incredible individuals. And when I have to say no to one thing to attend to another commitment, I reflect on how lucky I am to have multiple opportunities that I believe are deserving of my attention.
It is not always easy to see the bright side of every aspect of our lives. It is important to validate our emotions and make room for our true feelings, but I also challenge each and every one of you, including myself, to reflect on where you can find gratitude in a given situation. Not every experience will be positive, and that is okay. However, the situations that may feel dreadful at the moment, will one day be things we look back on with joy and gratitude.
This Thanksgiving, while my friends, family, and good health are still at the top of my list, I am also grateful for the things that I often overlook. I am thankful for the opportunity to have homework and education, even when it might be stressful; I am thankful for academic rigor and challenge; I am thankful for my clubs, meetings, and connections that consume my days; I am thankful for the opportunity to work on things that I am passionate about.
So, this Thanksgiving, while you are thinking about the general things in your life that bring you joy, I also encourage you to consider the niche things that you are lucky to experience, even if they don’t feel so positive in this present moment.