Five overlooked things to be grateful for

We don’t really celebrate Thanksgiving in Australia, but I still feel like it’s a nice day to be thankful for something, anything. After reading Nicole’s post titled 5 (Often Overlooked) Things To Be Grateful For This Year – I decided to write my own personal version.

1. Something your body can do

After years of ballet, hell yeah, I can dance. And not even just ballet. I can dance. I’m really thankful for that. I know a lot of people who are self-conscious or don’t think they can dance. I am happy that I put in a lot of work to be able to dance, and took the time to learn. But I never stopped and appreciated that I actually have that ability.

2. The people who help you without even knowing it

I want to say thanks to those people I rarely talk to. Those people who have commented on my blog posts and cheered me up when I was feeling like trash. So many comments put a smile on my face. Just sharing your stories with me, or commenting on my photographs. They help me feel better about myself. That’s something I have struggled with for the past year, and I have only just come to a point where I feel great about myself.

Those people who put me on the door to photograph a show. It’s a tiny, tiny thing. But they have no idea that it means a lot to me. Whether I am seeing my favourite band or not. Indirectly, it’s like a note of acceptance. Yes, you can photograph this band. And by saying yes, you are giving me the opportunity. To experience something. To better my skills. To share my photos with people. You’re not just helping me, but helping a lot of people.

Also, Nicole’s been a pretty huge inspiration to me. In inspiring this post, in motivating through her email newsletter, in writing wonderful blog posts that make me laugh, brighten my day and help me stay positive. I am thankful that there is someone out there who is so dedicated to what she does, and does something that really helps people, and even changes their lives.

3. Something that changed in the past year

I learned to embrace change. So when, one day, I decided to end my friendship with someone I had known for a long time, I feared the extent of my decision. But I had to do it, because it hurt, and I was almost scared of what would happen next, whether I ended it or not. But it was one of the best things I had done.

And I felt proud of myself. And I don’t feel like I was at a loss. Besides, I gained a wonderful new friend, who wasn’t really a replacement… but it goes to show that if something bad happens, something good is on its way.

4. A shitty experience that taught you something about yourself

I lost my job, but what the hell man. I looked back on that and I realised, I am a much stronger person than I ever thought. It’s one thing to get through things and to come out alright, relieved, and happy with yourself. It’s another thing to realise, “Holy cow, I dealt with that so well”, and to learn something about yourself. And for years, after I had struggled with depression, labelled myself as “emotionally unstable” and gone through so much bullshit in the past few years – not crying, and just holding my head up high and looking at this as one door closing and another opening – was truly uplifting.

5. Something you have enough of

I have enough friends. I used to think I didn’t have enough, I used to think I had far less than anyone. But hell, why would I complain about that, when I have the most amazing friends in the world? I’m so grateful for that.

What are the little things you’re grateful for?

Comments on this post

After reading Nicole’s post titled 5 (Often Overlooked) Things To Be Grateful For This Year – I decided to write my own personal version.

You know what, I’m going to do the same, since I happen to be subscribed to her as well. And since we’re on the topic of gratitude, thanks for recommending to me to read and subscribe to Nicole. I’m sure she’ll be grateful to you for putting in a good word for her too :)

On what you wrote for #5, what I found out about myself some years ago was that having many friends didn’t matter as much as I thought it was “supposed to”. Even as I observed someone seemingly getting along with everyone else, that didn’t make me want to get along with everyone else myself. It’s like that particular instance of peer pressure, which seems to affect a lot of people (understandably though!), didn’t affect me one bit.

I don’t know about others — that was just my personal experience — but I’ve found that I’ve always been interested simply in knowing that the few people who care about me, do at all.

This is a very good post and kudos to Nicole for inspiring so many of us to write our own :)

I agree with point 5, it’s better to have fewer good friends who understand and care for you rather than over 300 who you hardly know or speak to. I’m thankful for my group of friends ^______^

I think I’m more of so “that person who helps without knowing it”. I’ve been told a lot I’m “too nice” and sometimes I don’t even realise haha. As long as I’m helping people I’m cool with it. ✌️

Positiveness! (Y)

I wish I could dance. I never took ballet, ever; most the girls I know — even the really tomboy ones — used to do it at some point. I feel like I missed out. 💥

I think I’ll probably do a post of my own on this through third-hand inspiration… but I will briefly say that I am grateful that my parents are still together. I know so many people with divorced parents and the whole situation is just so, so, so, so difficult and very delicate.

It’s lovely to see how you have looked more on the bright side of life (despite all its shitballs) over the last few months. ♥

Take care! xx

I think that everyday we need to be aware of the things we should be thankful for. These days it’s so easy to be ungrateful or depressed about the things going wrong, we forget the things that are positive in our lives. Especially the small things.

I really love this post. I especially agree with #4. Sometimes the hard things or the things that are negative, can be the things that make us stronger, better people.

OMG. A ballet dancer is the one I consider with most grace. See Black Swan. Are you a Natalie Portman, Georgie? ♥

People who help us really makes us feel better especially when they throw you in compliments. It just feels amazing that after all your effort, some people are able torecognize and appreciate it.

Change is good. Change closes doors but opens windows. It’s definitely not the end and who knows that that change might be for the better.

Kudos to handling your loss of job. It shows that you have matured and changed ways on how to see life in general.

I am also so grateful to have few friends but so dear and close to me.

For this year, I am pretty much thankful of what everything has happened. There were many first times that I am really so grateful about.

I adore Natalie Portman! I haven’t seen Black Swan, but it’s another one of those movies where I admire the actors/actresses for working hard because ballet is so difficult. I did ballet for at least ten years and got my student teacher’s certificate. I did other dances (jazz and tap) when I was younger, but I stuck with ballet until the end. :)

Thank you for your lovely comment Chester! ♥

Hi Georgie!

I’m not sure if you still remember me or not, but I’ve got some free time today and decided to blogwalk like the old times. Just wanna say that I’m really glad to read this post. Obviously many things have happened to you and you choose to embrace them instead, which is awesome!

I can relate to #5; I don’t have many friends myself, but the ones I have are the ones that I can talk to about everything.

Oh and I am really jealous of people who can dance, especially ballet XD

I’m grateful for the experiences I’ve been through. This year alone has been really tough and there are some things that I still haven’t understood yet, but I’m pretty sure I will soon.

Anyway it’s nice to see you doing so well. Take care, Georgie! /eee

Hey Nnie, of course I remember you. Thank you so much for leaving a comment, I have missed you!

Overall, yes, 2013 was looking pretty bad at the beginning, and indeed a few bad things have happened but I have looked back on them quite positively. :) I am sorry to hear you’ve had a tough year — I hope things start looking up for you soon too!

I love this post! I especially like number 4. A lot of times we just see the negativity of a bad experience and never come out with the positive idea of wow that really helped me grow as a person.

I used to dance too! I took everything… classical ballet is by far my favorite, but I love contemporary too. Looking back I am def appreciative of my natural flexibility.