Every November, social media fills up with daily gratitude posts, and I love reading them. For years I kept my own gratitude practice more private. I write in a journal most days, so I rarely shared it online. But there’s something about putting it into words for other people that makes it land a little differently, so I wanted to share my list with you.
Gratitude has become one of the steadiest tools in my own healing. It doesn’t erase the hard stuff, but it widens the lens enough to hold the good right alongside it. (I’ve written more about that in my post on gratitude through reflection, if you’d like to go deeper.)
So here it is, a refreshed list of the things I’m genuinely grateful for, big and small. Some are tender, some are everyday, and a few are just plain comforting. I’d love to hear yours, too.
The Things I’m Grateful For
1. Good health. After everything my body and mind have been through, I don’t take a stable, relatively healthy day for granted. Health is a gift I try never to overlook.
2. My healing journey. I am grateful for how far I’ve come … the therapy, the boundaries, the hard inner work. I’m not “finished,” but I’m so much further down the road than I once thought possible.
3. Love. It’s the most amazing feeling in the world (and occasionally a total pain in the rear), and it is worth every bit of it.
4. My marriage. Sixteen years in, I’m grateful for a husband who has met my healing with patience and grace, and who has been my steady person through every season.
5. My girls. They can absolutely be a handful (teenage attitudes are real), but the sweet, funny, loving moments with my daughters make every bit of it worth it.
6. Family. Good or hard, family shapes who we become and I’m grateful for the family I’ve built and the peace I’ve fought for within it.
7. Friendship. Life simply wouldn’t be complete without good friends by your side.
8. Books. They will forever be my lifeline, my escape, my fun. A good book is a small, reliable joy.
9. Coffee. I’m not sure morning coffee even needs an explanation. It’s a warm, grounding little ritual that starts my day right.
10. Laughter. How sad would this world be without it? Good thing we never have to find out.
11. Music. Your entire day can turn around because of one single song.
12. Comfort shows. I rewatch the same beloved shows on repeat, and there’s a real reason for it. They quiet my anxiety, and because I already know how they end, they make perfect background noise while I get things done around the house. There’s comfort in the familiar.
13. Delivery services. This one is genuinely about healing for me. On high-anxiety days, services like Amazon, Walmart, and Sam’s let me still get the necessary things done without pushing myself past what I can handle. Part of my growth has been learning to recognize those harder days and meet myself with tools instead of pressure. I’m grateful these make that possible.
14. A warm home. Big or small, it’s where life happens. Where we gather, rest, and feel safe. I grew up worrying about even having a place to call home so I never want to take a roof over our heads for granted.
15. Heat in the winter. I’ve known life without air conditioning in the summer, and I’m endlessly grateful not to know what winter without heat feels like. The small comforts count.
16. The U.S. Armed Forces. Our lives would look entirely different without those who choose to put their lives on the line for our country. As a veteran and a military spouse, this gratitude runs deep.
17. Meaningful work. Whether you’re a stay-at-home mom, a work-from-home mom, or working outside the home … your work matters, and it’s a good one.
18. Cozy season. Sweater weather, soft scarves, warm layers. There’s something about the comfort of fall and winter that I look forward to all year.
19. A hot bath or shower. Few things reset my nervous system like a long, hot soak at the end of a hard day. Simple and restorative.
20. Freshly washed sheets. Climbing into soft, clean, fresh-smelling sheets is one of life’s most underrated little luxuries.
21. Holidays & traditions. Family time, the traditions we’ve built, and a season set aside for celebration. That’s absolutely something to be grateful for.
22. Pinterest. I’ll be honest, it’s still one of my go-to doom-scrolls but it’s also where I gather recipes, ideas, and inspiration. Guilty as charged.
23. Food. My love for food runs deep, and I’m grateful for the way a good meal nourishes and brings people together around a table.
24. This blog and this community. I’m beyond grateful to have a space to share my story and for every one of you who reads, relates, and shows up here. You make it worth it.
25. Faith. Through all of it, the hard seasons and the good, I’m grateful for the faith that has carried me and the belief that I’ve never walked any of it alone.
And One Bonus…
You woke up today. Truly! That is the most amazing gift of all. Whatever yesterday held and whatever today brings, you’re here. That’s something.
This Thanksgiving, I hope you take a few quiet minutes to notice what you’re grateful for, too. It doesn’t have to be a list of 25. Even one honest thing counts.
What’s on your gratitude list this year? Share it in the comments. I’d genuinely love to read it.
Wishing you a warm and happy Thanksgiving. 🍂
NOTE: This post was originally published in November 2016 and has been updated and refreshed.
Love gratitude posts like this one. Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!