9 Reasons To Be Thankful on Thanksgiving 2014

With the many channels of technology and the fast-paced world we live in, it’s easy to get caught in the seemingly never-ending flood of tragic news stories. Our Facebook feeds are filled with horror stories, which can be disheartening. But do not lose hope—the world is actually quite a beautiful place. This Thanksgiving, we wanted to remind you that there is plenty of reason to be thankful. Check out our favorite 9 reasons to be thankful and comment below with yours!

1. Be thankful that the world itself is a beautiful place.

Yes, there are many places that are breathtakingly gorgeous that require a passport and plane ticket, but sometimes the best views are outside your windows during an Autumn sunset.

2. Be thankful for music!

Whether a song motivates you to work out, reminds you of a certain point in your life, or helps you get through a traffic jam, it’s a powerful and awesome thing that is accessible to everyone. Even if you don’t have any form of technology around you (and are reading this blog article through your psychic abilities), the cool thing about music is you can make it by opening your mouth or banging sticks together.

3. Be thankful for animals!

hether or not you have a pet does not mean you cannot enjoy the company of a furry friend. Shelters welcome all visitors, even if you can only offer ten minutes of your time. Oh, and this

4. Be thankful for family time!

Sometimes, especially around the holidays, family can drive you crazy. But challenge yourself this holiday by making everyone do the unthinkable—turn off their phones, put them in a drawer, and interact with one another. Play a board game or take it to the next step and try a scavenger hunt around your house! You’ll be surprised how much fun you’ll have even if you can’t document it on social media for a few hours.

5. Be thankful for the power of community.

Sometimes it’s easy to feel alone, but reaching out can be a pleasant surprise. For example, this 8-year-old girl was diagnosed with leukemia and one of her last wishes was to hear Christmas carols in her final weeks. Her parents reached out on social media in hopes that a handful of people would help them carol. Here was the turnout:

6. Be thankful for FOOD.

Now this doesn’t translate to “eat all the food,” but we aren’t going to pretend there won’t be an abundance of deliciousness this Thanksgiving. Whip up a healthy but still yummy dessert from our Pinterest page here (the Pumpkin Pie is our favorite for this holiday!)

7. Be thankful for yourself.

This may sound weird, but you have the ability to change your life for the better with every choice you make. Believe in you and be thankful you are who you are!

8. Be thankful that this exists.

It is a squirrel feeder that only gives the squirrels food if they stand inside and look this ridiculous. Okay, okay, this isn’t really the best reason to be thankful, but it probably made you laugh, which IS a reason to be thankful.

9. Be thankful that there are actually millions of good people in the world.

And furthermore, be thankful that being one of these good people starts with a simple act of kindness.