Finally, it is the week that we have all been waiting for, Thanksgiving week! Amazing things are coming up this week: a break from school, a day of eating everything in sight without feeling the least bit guilty, and of course, a time of reflection on all the things and people for which we are thankful. Personally, this week is a little different this year. Yes, I get an amazing break from school and yes, I am going to eat more than my stomach can actually hold, but this won’t be the first time this year that I have taken the time to sit down and reflect on what I should be thankful for in my life.

With so much hate and negativity in this world as a whole as well as my personal world, I have been especially introspective over the past six months as I strive to better myself. Recently, I took this a little further. I started something that has caused a lot of the bitterness and negativity that I feel to disintegrate. I began a positivity journal. Every night, I reflect and write down five things that I am thankful for as well as a positive memory to hold close from the day. I can honestly say that this journal has made an amazing difference in my journey towards happiness.

Life can be tough. Trust me, I get it. Sometimes it feels like with every step forward we take ten steps back. It is hard to feel grateful for anything because the bad always seems to outweigh the good. It’s amazing what a shift in perspective can do. Instead of fixating on the bad, it’s time to start fixating on the good. I think we forget the good sometimes, which is why writing it down has been so beneficial for me. When I feel myself slipping towards negativity, I pull out my journal and look back through the pages to remind myself just how blessed I truly am.

I still think that Thanksgiving is a beautiful thing, and I will be especially reflecting this week; however, we as a society can do so much better. We need to expand our horizons and start reflecting daily rather than annually on the positive things in life. Take this post for what it is worth. I’m not telling all of you to go out and make a journal. Everyone reflects in different ways. I’m just a girl who used to be bitter, but I’m not anymore. I am happy. I am healthy. I am thankful. I can’t wait for you to be as well.