Being Thankful

Howdy y'all. So it's Thanksgiving Eve (for all my American friends & family) and as you read this, I am probably high in the sky and bound for Nashville. Today you are in for an extra special treat....a guest post by Kelly, from Laughter, Strength and Food. She is one sweet chickie and I know you are going to love what she has to say. 

Hi Vegvacious readers!
My name is Kelly and I blog over at Laughter, Strength, and Food. I would like to thank Andrea for giving me the opportunity to write a guest post for her! She is a pretty awesome lady…which I’m sure you all know since you are here reading this!
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and it is truly one of my favorite times of the year. Aside from it being the official start of the holiday season (!!!), it is a holiday that has an amazing meaning that I think everyone can believe in and benefit from…
…and that is the meaning of being thankful.

I think that many times it becomes too easy to forget about all that we have and to be thankful for it each and every day. I know, first hand, how the chaos of life can sometimes act as a blinder and shield us from seeing the good that we have directly in front of us. I used to be one that usually had a pessimistic view no matter how much I told myself I had to be optimistic. A little over a year ago, I felt like I was in a bad place in my life. I had some personal things going on that I just didn’t know how to handle. Instead of using the good around me to bring me to a better place, I just focused on the bad and let myself believe that nothing was going to get better and that my life was at its worst point.
Sound a little dramatic? It was. I pushed away not only any positive thoughts I had, but also the positive people that I had in my life. Looking back, I can’t believe the way I let my negative emotions take over every aspect of my life. Thankfully, I had amazing people surrounding me who didn’t give up on me and refused to let me continue to be unhappy.
Am I thankful for those people?
Absolutely.Do I thank my lucky stars everyday that I have two supportive parents and an incredible boyfriend?
You better believe it.

It may sound cliché to be thankful for family and friends, however, I have learned that these key pieces of life can make all the difference in the world. More importantly, I‘ve re-learned how important it is to see the good in all every situation and to be thankful for those small things that make me smile everyday.
So, with that dramatic background into my life…let’s move on to the main point of what I want to share with you all!
Be thankful for everything you have…no matter how small it might seem.

Be thankful for your family, your parents, your friends, your significant others.
Be thankful for your job, your house, your car, your loving pets, the food you have on your table.
Be thankful for your favorite pair of comfy jeans, your old worn out slippers, your snuggly pajamas.
Be thankful for that workout you pushed yourself to complete.
Be thankful for your ability to laugh.
Be thankful for the ability to wake up and make each day the best it can be.

As we celebrate this Thanksgiving holiday, let’s think about all of the wonderful things in our lives that we can be thankful for and let’s carry those thoughts with us throughout the entire year. There is nothing more important that loving ourselves, loving others, and loving everything that makes us who we are.
I hope you all have a wonderful holiday!!
P.S. I am thankful for all of the delicious turkey, stuffing, and potatoes I’ll be eating tomorrow!!