My life is by no means perfect, I have had hardships that I had to overcome and things that I regret, but I'm thankful regardless!

1. I'm educated

Not everyone has the opportunity to go to college. Hell, a lot of people don’t have the opportunity to have any sort of education at all. Many can’t afford it, others have no access to education, and still, others are denied the right to go even if they could. I have been so blessed to have the opportunities that I do, that I have been lucky enough to freely pursue my dreams.

2. I have good friends

I have at least one ride-or-die, and those kind of relationships are what I’m here for. Having someone who’s willing to drive all the way to a strange city just to visit some nerdy conservation convention she has no interest in, just because she wanted to spend time with me, means more to me than I’d ever been willing to admit. I didn’t believe platonic soulmates were a thing until I met her.

3. I'm a big sister

I like kids, but after being surprised by two of them when I was living the high life as a spoiled only child, kind of ruined that for me. Even so, I’m thankful I have them. My life the past ten years would have been so boring without two little gremlins running around, messing up all my stuff. They’ve taught me to be measured in my words and actions, to be responsible even when I don’t feel like it, and to hide everything valuable when I leave.

4. I have supportive parents

My parents made me into the person I am today. This may sound cheesy, but the life lessons they gave me have shaped the kind of person I’ve grown into, and I feel like it would be fair to say that they did a pretty good job. My mom taught me independence and determination. My Stepdad taught me about responsibility and ambition. My dad taught me to respect and have self-confidence. My stepmom taught me compassion and diligence. These things have become the groundwork that I’ve laid my entire life upon, and I couldn’t be more grateful to the people who paved the way.

5. I don't have to worry about necessities

This is something that I feel like so many people take for granted nowadays. We like to focus on all the bad things that happen in our lives, but we always forget the thousand little miracles we encounter every day. We don’t remember to be grateful that we can turn on the faucet and have clean water come out. We don’t remember to be grateful that we can live our lives in comfort because of the sacrifices of people we’ll never know. You can rage and burn yourself out over things you’ll never be able to change, or you could appreciate the things you have. At least, that’s what I try to do.

I know I will make many more mistakes before my time is up. Despite that, I am reminded more and more of all the things I have to be thankful for, especially as I've gotten older and (hopefully) wiser. So these days, when things seem bad, I remind myself of the million reasons I am oh so lucky, and it always makes everything seem a little brighter.