This week has been one of those weeks. We’ve all had this kind of week - the hours seem like days, you can’t shake the headache, Friday can’t come quick enough, the dog throws up in your purse and wallet and all over the only pair of pants you brought for an overnight trip (oh wait, that last one was just me). What do you do at the end of a week like that?

Give Thanks.

There are so many little things in life to be thankful for even in the midst of a not-so-perfect day. Some of them are so small that we overlook them and walk right past them without realizing that they are tiny gifts from above. Here are a few.

The Morning Sunshine

Every new day is a gift. Over 150,000 people were not fortunate enough to wake up this morning. Embrace the morning as an opportunity to make a positive change in your life. The bad day is over, and the morning sunshine brings hope of a new, brighter day. At the end of a not-so-great day, remember that “The sun will come out tomorrow.”

A Home

It's easy to forget that millions of people are not fortunate to have a home. Even though I have been to places where basic shelter is a privilege (not a guarantee), I still find myself forgetting to be thankful for my home, my bed, my hot water, my flushable toilet. If you woke up in a bed this morning you have so much to be thankful for.

The Hot Cup of Coffee

The first sip of a cup of freshly brewed coffee is magical. This short start to a long day tends to get overlooked. When everything is going wrong let the sips be longer and the coffee be stronger.

The Morning Breeze

Have you ever sat outside in the early morning and listened to the breeze rustle through the trees? Give thanks for those moments. The peaceful morning breeze is God's way of saying, "Have peace. I am here."

Nature

Going hand-in-hand with the breeze is the beauty that surrounds us all the time. Something as simple as a hike through a park will leave your soul refreshed and your spirit thankful. Creation is God's gift to us. Taking time to be thankful for the Earth makes life's problems seem less pressing.

Family and Friends

Love is the greatest gift of all. Chances are, when you read "family and friends" faces and names came to your mind. Loving others and having others who love you is the most important thing in the world. It's so easy to go through an entire day and forget to give thanks for those who go through it with you.

Attitude

Attitude is something to be thankful for because you have control of it. Some circumstances will be out of your control, but how you react to those circumstances is always up to you.

The list of small things to be thankful for goes on and on. Hopefully the few that were listed have brightened your day and reminded you that there is always a reason to smile.