Recommended for you

Start writing a post

Health and Wellness

10 Simple Things To Be Grateful For

Fighting greed with gratitude this Christmas season

Kristin Engelking

Nov 28, 2016

Influencers of Oregon

pexels

As Christmas season officially begins now that Thanksgiving is over, I can already feel it happening. I can feel my heart drifting toward materialism as I make my Christmas wishlist and think about all of the gifts that I would love to receive. I love gifts. I love giving them, I love getting them. But sometimes I get greedy. And often, the best antidote for greed is gratitude. I need to consciously remember the MANY things I have to be thankful for. Things that are so familiar to me, things I haven't had to be without, things that many people in the world live without every single day.

I've heard it said, "Gratitude turns what we have into enough." If you are having a hard time finding things to be thankful for this season, I'm creating a list that I'm hoping will spur on a sort of contagious gratitude.

1. Clean drinking water

2. Food.

And not JUST food for sustenance, but also the ability to go buy food at the grocery store and the luxury to purchase certain foods just because they "sound good."

3. A home

4. Electricity

To heat my home, make my water warm when I need it, turn on lights, and cook food.

5. Clothing

The luxury of opening my closet or drawers and asking, "What should I wear?" because I have multiple options.

6. A washer and dryer.

7. A toilet that flushes

8. Two cars

Not just one car, but two cars, for the "convenience."

9. People

Family that I love. Friends that I love. A church family that I love. A husband and a daughter.

10. Life

Breath. Heartbeat. And beyond that. . . Sight. Hearing. Functioning arms and legs. Heart. Brain. Fingers. Toes. Bones. Muscles.

These are the things I want to come back to on a daily basis. In the moments where my brain starts swirling with my wishlist, when my heart starts to bubble over with discontentment, these are the things I want to remember. The things I no longer want to take for granted. They are not small things, they are incredible, luxurious gifts to be massively thankful for.

Report this Content

This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

Student Life

13 Thoughts College Students Have On The First Day Of Class

Syllabus week doesn't exist.

Hunter College

College Informations

Most of us have already started the spring semester, and for those of you who haven't started yet, you suck.

It seems like coming back from winter break wouldn't really be a break all things considered, since we all come back to school and pick up right where we left off. We know exactly what to expect, yet we're unprepared every single time.

Keep Reading...Show less

first day

Entertainment

Things People Without A Typical 'Boy Name' or 'Girl Name' Know To Be True

All names should be "unisex names."

Tulane University

1272

There are tons of unisex names that are popular: Taylor, Alex, Bailey, etc. There are also numerous names that are used for both sexes, but they’re not seen as “unisex” yet. People are slowly becoming accustomed to the dual use of these names, but for the most part, in their minds they associate certain names with certain sexes. And that leaves those of us with these names in many awkward situations.

Keep Reading...Show less

unisex names

Lifestyle

16 Secrets Anthropology Majors Never Admit To

You know that all of these things apply to you. You'll just never tell.

Washington College

6129

CSU

I'm an anthropology major, and I love every minute of it. I couldn't tell you why, but I guess there's just something about studying different lifestyles that absolutely fascinates me. But anthropology majors definitely have our weird sides, especially when you go to a school that is filled with mostly Business and Bio majors. But us weirdos definitely have a lot in common, specifically these 16 things.

Keep Reading...Show less

anthropology major

Featured

14 Things The Extremely Pale Are Tired Of Hearing

I get it... I'm pale.

University of Vermont

2620

Everyone has insecurities, that's just a fact. You didn't ask to be born this way. You didn't ask to inherit the one trait no one else in your family has. And you definitely didn't ask to be this ghostly white. But as soon as you've learned to live with it for a while (less wrinkles later on in life, right? right???) someone has to ruin it for you. They have to flaunt they're perfectly tanned body from Spring Break and hold their sun-kissed skin against yours. But I've had enough... here are the things that perpetually pale individuals are tired of hearing.

Keep Reading...Show less

pale skin

Recommended for you

10 Simple Things To Be Grateful For

Fighting greed with gratitude this Christmas season

1. Clean drinking water

2. Food.

3. A home

4. Electricity

5. Clothing

6. A washer and dryer.

7. A toilet that flushes

8. Two cars

9. People

10. Life

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Syllabus week doesn't exist.

All names should be "unisex names."

1. Communicating via email can be awkward.

2. Appointments usually accompany weird looks.

3. Introducing yourself to someone is never without a hitch.

4. You’ve probably thought about changing your name.

5. You’re often asked why you have the name you do.

6. You get excited when you meet someone of your gender with your name.

7. You feel awkward when you meet someone of the opposite gender with your name.

8. You’ve had someone say to you, “I knew a [your name], but they were [your opposite gender].”

9. You’ve heard a bad joke/pick-up line or two about your name before.

10. People are surprised when they see you.

11. You’re extra sensitive to other unique or unisex names.

12. You’ve fought with your parents about it.

13. All things considered, you’re happy your name makes you unique.

You know that all of these things apply to you. You'll just never tell.

I get it... I'm pale.

1. At least I can't lose you in a crowd!

2. Oh my goodness your skin is like glow-in-the-dark.

3. Can't you just get fake tan?

4. Do you tan or just burn?

5. Your kids are going to look like Casper the Friendly Ghost!

6. *holds arm against your arm* Look how much darker I am compared to you!

7. *holds pale arm against another pale arm* Aw, at least you're darker than her!

8. I laid out by the pool almost every day over break!

9. I haven't used sunscreen since I was, like, five.

10. *adjusts selfie lighting to their face* Oops, where'd you go??

11. *after working out* Your face is SO red!

12. *wears white* Look! You're all one color!

13. You need to get some sun.

14. Aren't you excited for summer?

The struggle bus is real.

1. Child prodigies:

2. Hearing other musicians in the practice room next door and accepting that you will never be as talented as them:

3. That anxiety that takes over before every performance:

4. Taking a million 0 credit classes:

5. When there's a paper due the next day, but you have to attend yet another concert in order to pass a 0 credit class:

6. When your friends try to encourage you after a performance, even though you are criticizing everything in your mind:

7. Knowing that there's always that one professor during juries:

8. The oh-so-attractive band/choir uniforms:

9. Realizing that a college campus is maybe not the best atmosphere to finish your latest composition:

10. Hearing "Oh, you sing opera? I LOVE Phantom of the Opera!" for the hundredth time:

11. When people think finals week is a breeze for you.

12. When you're drowning in the stress that comes with 18+ credits (and not to mention all those 0 credit classes) and people ask you how you are:

13. When it all comes down to it, though, you know that at the end of the day, music is your passion:

Trending Topics

Top Creators

Trending Stories

Best of Health and Wellness

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments

Subscribe to our
Newsletter

6. holds arm against your arm Look how much darker I am compared to you!

7. holds pale arm against another pale arm Aw, at least you're darker than her!

10. adjusts selfie lighting to their face Oops, where'd you go??

11. after working out Your face is SO red!

12. wears white Look! You're all one color!