Attitude of Gratitude: Traditions

Halloween is over. And that means that the holidays are fast approaching. I LOVE the holidays. There is something about the next few months that tend to bring families and friends closer together. It's a combination of love and a little holiday magic. One of my favorite things about Thanksgiving and Christmas time is the traditions that surround it. I know a lot of people who have a tradition of naming something that they are grateful for every day of November, leading up to the Thanksgiving dinner when we gather together with the people we love the most to celebrate everything that we have been given. So, my goal is to post once a day every day of November something that I am grateful for. Today, I will write about 4 things to catch up.






 November 1. My Family. I had to make them number one because they are the thing that I am most grateful for in the entire world. I can't even believe I was lucky enough to have such amazing parents who always know what to say, and have inspired me in every way to try to be my best and to follow my dreams. My siblings are my best friends, and I can't imagine life without them. I 'm so grateful we get to be goofballs together and sing songs at the top of our lungs. I am grateful for my family, my best friends in the entire world :)

November 2. Modern-day technology. It absolutely amazes me when I stop and consider all the technology we have at our fingertips. If it were up to me, we'd still be living in caves and trying to make fires. It is incredible that I can talk to my family halfway across the country at the press of a button. I know that it would be much harder to get through the tough days if I didn't know I could go back to my room later that night and talk to my family. So here's to phones, texts, and Skype!

November 3. Music. There are few things in the world which can offer such a range of emotional support for me than music. I've discovered a site called Songza which basically has a playlist for every situation/mood that you are experiencing. I love to listen to sunshiney music while I'm getting ready for the day, or soft classics to help me get to sleep. When the world is a little too loud for me to bear, I can plug in my iPod and tune out the world. When days get rough, I can put on my snowman PJ's and listen to some Christmas music (Yeah, I know what the date is). This is why I am thankful for music.

November 4. I have had a pretty hard time this semester with a heavy course load and keeping up with my classes. I haven't been on the same level with a lot of my professors this year, and my grades have somewhat been feeling the effect of that. The other day, my statistics professor asked me how I was doing, and I explained to him why I have been struggling lately in his class. He immediately offered to help tutor me on the side so I understood what was going on. "I want you to actually enjoy this class" he said, "I don't want it to stress you out." I was so relieved, I almost cried. So today, I am incredibly thankful for teachers and professors who actual care about you individually. It's them that make learning worth it.