Thankful...

Today is thanksgiving, and one of my favorite holidays. Increasingly our society is overlooking day since its not as marketable as say Christmas. The Christmas decorations and store promotions are presented earlier and earlier every year.

I'm an advocate for thanksgiving. True, it's always around my birthday, but my love for this holiday goes beyond the superficial. Thanksgiving is about pausing to consider what you have received from the world, a family, steady work, happiness, and anything else that makes you who you are.

We don't automatically deserve to live plush comfortable lives simply because we exist. So we need to express thanks for the great things in our lives by thanking God (or the higher power you believe in) and generally putting our thankful energy out into the world.

Celebrate thanksgiving and take time today to consider all the large and small things you are thankful for this year.

This year I have a lot to be thankful for:
My husband, this is our first married thanksgiving.
My family
Our pup
I'm thankful that I'm able to personally develop and be ever evolving in a positive manner.
My friends and all the support they provide.

Giving days 20-25...

I'm nearly done with the giving challenge, and it's been quite a journey.  I'm very much more aware of my attitude toward activities and people in my life.  Here's the recap of what I gave for days 20-25

Day 20: coincided with my 28th birthday....there was a lot of receiving of birthday wishes from people that day.  I gave small things: a good attitude while in the lab, many thanks to friends, and I organized a trivia night for a group of my friends for us to have some fun together during the week! I also journaled about what I've accomplished in the last year, and I will share that at another time.  Listing my accomplishments for the year made me realize some things I wasn't able to achieve and things that I didn't originally plan but did achieve.

Day 21: Today I gave a soda to a coworker.  This was by accident since I bought a new one and she grabbed it off our table at work since we drink the same soda, but I figured since she was having a more frustrating morning than I was that I would let it go and she could have the extra bubbly caffeine.

Day 22: Thanksgiving day!  Jonah and I spent the day with my family and the pets.  To give I picked up my brother and gave him a ride to my mom and step-dad's home for dinner and some time together.  He has a tendency to frustrate me, but I decided to approach the situation differently and I enjoyed the day with him.

Day 23: I gave time to someone else.  I left work early to spend time with Jonah, and on the way home picked up some yummy dinner!  We spent our time together lazily.....watching football and lounging with the pup.  It was very relaxing.

Day 24: I gave money to the salvation army guy with the bell and bucket.  As I walked into the store he was standing by the door looking sad and cold, not ringing his bell.  So, on the way out I dropped in a donation and he perked up a bit.

Day 25: I realized at about 8pm on Day 25 that I hadn't actively thought about giving all day.  My day was consumed with running errands and going into the lab for a bit of time.  After feeling a bit bummed that I hadn't thought about giving, I decided to start gathering up old kitchen supplies that I have and no longer need or have replaced but not gotten rid of.  I packed a box for goodwill of extra plates, bowl, small appliances, and pots and pans.  Hopefully, these items will be given a good home where they will be used instead of sitting in the cupboard as extras.

Happy Holidays everyone!