10 things to be thankful for today

As an American tradition, Thanksgiving has never been celebrated among my family or many families here in Australia, unless they've had some American or Canadian influence. Traditions aside, in the lead up to the silly season, when often the commercialism and the statement of it all takes away from the genuineness of it's purpose, it's a pretty good time of year to take a step back and think about what you really are thankful for.

So here's just 10 things in my life that I'm thankful for today.

1. I'm thankful first and foremost for family, friends and a beautiful man who love and encourage me, and I them in return.
2. I'm thankful for a well paying job that offers me security and challenges alike.
3. I'm thankful for having had the opportunity to study whatever I wanted, to read whatever I wanted and be afforded knowledge that in many countries and cultures is either still denied of women or simply cannot be afforded for anyone. 
4. I'm thankful for both the times my family did it hard and those when we lived well, because it's taught me to be appreciative, taught me to be resourceful and taught me to be compassionate.
5. I'm thankful for having lived in the country, the bush and the city in this enormous country of ours that so few get to experience the true breadth of.
6. I'm thankful for the opportunity to travel, to be in a position that has afforded me the opportunity to explore other countries, meet long lost family members and experience things I never dreamed I would.
7. I'm thankful for a creative mind that takes me on many journeys.
8. I'm thankful for the harsh words said to me throughout my life that have thickened my skin and thankful for the encouraging voices as well that have fed my soul and ambitions.
9. I'm thankful for clean running water available at my beck and call.
10. I'm thankful for my little home, that each night I am sheltered, comfortable and surrounded by nice things and for all the little things it is teaching me in this new phase of my life.

This list could really go on and on. Yes we live in a country where there are many opportunities available to us, but above all that, all the little experiences in life, good or bad have influenced who I am today and how I interpret the world around me. So we might change this or that, if we had the opportunity to do it all again but from where I'm sitting, I've got a lot to be thankful for.

What are you thankful for?