By Tonya Graser Smith
November is a time to be thankful. It’s a time for family, friends, food and togetherness. But how can you be feel thankful when your world is falling apart, when you’re going through a divorce?
You do it by taking it day by day. Taking small steps. Finding joy, beauty, peace and gratitude in the small things. It could be the construction paper turkey in the shape of your kindergartner’s hand. It could be your car’s seat warmers on a chilly commute to work. It could be a walk in the park with your dog or best friend.
In honor of this month of gratitude, I’m thinking each day on the things – little and big – for which I’m grateful. I’m sharing the topics I’m going to reflect on, so that you can reflect with a grateful heart, too.
I’m thankful for…
Day 1: My favorite thing about fall…
Day 2: Good books, like…
Day 3: My go-to Starbucks order… Thank you, vanilla latte with almond milk, for the boost.
Day 4: Daydreams about…
Day 5: The best vacation ever…
Day 6: My sense of smell, sight, hearing…
Day 7: My latest Netflix binge…
Day 8: A breath of fresh air…
Day 9: My favorite Pandora station…
Day 10: Lazy days…
Day 11: This childhood memory…
Day 12: This photo…
Day 13: This moment of spontaneity…
Day 14: Doughnuts…
Day 15: My favorite flower… Bless you, gerbera daisies. You brighten the room and my day.
Day 16: This teacher or professor…
Day 17: This piece of advice…
Day 18: A day spent watching my favorite sport…
Day 19: This movie that captivated my attention…
Day 20: My child’s smile…
Day 21: My job…
Day 22: My favorite Thanksgiving dish… Stuffing, I’m coming for you and am grateful for your place on the table.
Day 23: The biggest adventure of my life…
Day 24: My theme song…
Day 25: My favorite day of the week…
Day 26: Saying “yes” to this…
Day 27: My favorite class at the gym…
Day 28: The time I get to spend on this hobby…
Day 29: My friends…
Day 30: My family…
I’m looking forward to 30 days of reflection and gratitude. But if life gets in the way and I forget or don’t feel like it one day, I’m not going to sweat it. All I can do is trying again the next day. I hope you will give daily gratitude a try – and give yourself some grace, too.
Here are some other resources to check out to remind you to stop and be thankful for the little things.
• A gratitude journal like “Good Days Start with Gratitude.”
• A gratitude app like 365 Gratitude: Diary, Journal
• The book, “On Gratitude,” in which 50+ celebrities — Sheryl Crow, Jeff Bridges and Alicia Keys, to name a few — talk about what they’re grateful for. For example, singer Dolly Parton is grateful for her humble roots, while author Anne Rice is thankful for the typewriter her stepmother gave her as she set off for college.
What are you grateful for? Think about it.