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?