Today is Thanksgiving, and when I think about this holiday I’m reminded that I should be more thankful.  And yes, I begin thinking about my family, the roof over my head, and large things like that.  But what happens after all the pumpkin pie is gone, the turkey leftovers are in the freezer, and you’ve done half your shopping list on Black Friday?  Are you still thankful?  Where do we go wrong on not being grateful enough.

I’ve decided that gratitude isn’t an event, it’s a habit.  Yes, a habit like brushing your teeth, putting the toilet lid down, and putting your shoes away when you take them off.  Habits take work and effort, consistent effort over at least 21 days (or so I’ve heard).  Man, this doesn’t quite sound like the dinner conversation at the Thanksgiving table anymore.

Most people don’t talk about being thankful for their slippers, the welcome mats by the front and back doors, or their regularly functioning coffee maker.  These are the kinds of things we all use all the time but we take them for granted.  Would you like the cold floor in the morning, or having mud tracked in the house, or missing out on your caffeine fix first thing in the morning?  Probably not.  And for those things, we ought to be grateful that they continue to be a part of our daily lives.

So in that vein, I’m going to kick this off by creating a list of ordinary or unusual things that I have reason to be grateful for.   These things aren’t likely to be a part of any Thanksgiving dinner conversation you have, unless you decide to start the conversation with this topic.  And even though I’m not putting down the explanation, I have specific memories or regular uses for each of these things.

My Ordinary Gratitude List:

I’m grateful for my alarm watch, my timer, my kitchen clock (sense a theme here??), tight deadlines, my blender, my water softener, my favorite mug, my radio, my container of shea butter, the blue fabric softener container that you can fill and toss into the wash, lip balm in my purse, free cardboard boxes, and my grey cardigan.  I could keep going, but I won’t bore you here.  I’m sure you get the idea now.

So, what’s your ordinary gratitude list?

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From Psych Central's website:
PsychCentral (November 26, 2009)

    Last reviewed: 26 Nov 2009