Happy November! Spooky season is officially over, which means Christmas music is playing, Starbucks has its holiday menu, and, oh yeah, Thanksgiving is right around the corner! With the excitement of the holidays and the stress of finals coming up, it’s easy to forget the meaning of these beloved holidays. Even though Thanksgiving is often overlooked, the significance of it is by far my favorite. Thanksgiving serves as a time to reminisce on everything in your life and show thanks for the things you appreciate, but this can be hard for those who can’t seem to find something that brings them happiness, have seasonal depression, or have harder times around the holiday season. To help those who have trouble finding light within the darkness, here are five simple things to be thankful for in life.Â
Friends, family, or anyone supporting youÂ
This is the most common thing people say they are thankful for, and I can’t help but agree. Appreciating those closest to you in life is an easy way to stay grateful. On top of this, showing appreciation for anybody who supports you in life is beneficial to both you and the person you’re acknowledging. According to USU, expressing gratitude releases oxycontin (the “love hormone”) which builds a greater connection and can strengthen the bond between two people.Â
Love
Love, in any form, is something incredible to be thankful for. Not everybody is lucky enough to have easily identifiable love in their lives, but it is always there if you look for it. Love comes in cooking, helping, giving advice, quality time, listening, laughing, and so much more. Whether it’s love for someone else, love for a pet, love for your favorite music or food, or even love for yourself, there’s always some form of it hiding somewhere. And even if you think nobody loves you…Someone definitely does. Recognizing this and being grateful for it will open your life to so much more love.Â
EntertainmentÂ
Music, video games, television, movies–whatever the form of entertainment is, if it brings you happiness, you can be appreciative of it! Often people think that internet-related things, such as entertainment, aren’t worthy of being thankful for, but they absolutely are. Entertainment is used to take your mind off things, destress, and unwind. There are not many things that are capable of having this effect, so you may as well relish them! For me, I’m thankful for Animal Crossing on my Nintendo Switch and Spotify. These seem silly, but they bring me joy, and that’s more than enough.Â
Education
Any level of education is something to be thankful for, especially if you are able to attend a higher level! Education is a gift that not everyone is fortunate to have, so even the smallest level is something to be grateful for. Although oftentimes education causes stress, in the long run, it is useful for your life and will help to further your career. And if “typical” school isn’t for you, you can be thankful for whatever you choose to do in exchange. Whether that’s a trade school, cosmetology school, straight to a job, or no school at all, it’s something to be thankful for as long as you enjoy it.Â
Life ItselfÂ
Last but not least, the final suggestion on this list is to be thankful for life itself. The holidays aren’t always a happy time for everybody and it can be difficult to stay positive when times are hard. Despite this, you should try to practice gratitude in order to create a more optimistic mindset for yourself. It is not always easy to do this, but appreciating the gift of simply living is a big step. Write your gratitude down, tell people you love them, and try to remind yourself that the bad moments will pass. Take care of yourselves during this holiday season!