Thanksgiving 2018 | What I'm Thankful For

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! This time of year is the best time to reflect on what we are thankful for and look back on how things have impacted us since the last holiday season. Though of course, I am thankful for everything in my life every day of my life, Thanksgiving is a good excuse for us to really look at what we have and take a step back to appreciate it. Sometimes that is hard to do on a daily basis with the hustle and bustle of life, so I invite you to join me in just really taking a moment to soak it all in. I usually find that it is best for me to write my thoughts out, so with that being said, here are 10 things that I am grateful for this year.

1. Josh (pictured above ♡ ): This man is seriously such a blessing in my life. Not a day goes by where I don't fall more and more for him. He is constantly there for me and helping me get through every little and big thing that life throws at us. I am just feeling especially thankful that I have someone so loving to go through life with.

2. My family: How cliche...I know! But seriously, I don't know where I would be without the love and support I get from them, especially my mom! Am I lame if my mom is my best friend? I don't even care. This woman will do whatever she needs to do to make sure that I am happy and will always go above and beyond for everyone around her.

3. My friends: Every extra year out of high school it seems like your circle of friends gets smaller and smaller. Some because of distance, some because they just were never a real friend, and some just because you drift apart. Because of these things, I feel like I hold each of my true friends even closer to my heart just because it is so rare to find genuine people to keep around you. I am so thankful to have the friends that I do, and I wouldn't trade them for the world!

4. My puppy: (actually my child), duh! But I just love her so so so much and I am so thankful that I am blessed to have her in my life to always play with, cuddle, kiss, pick up/carry around, rub her belly, tell her how much I love her, take pictures of, dress up in cute sweaters, and force her to love me...haha..I think you get the point. Yes I am a crazy dog lady.

5. My career: One of the biggest ones! I am so absolutely blessed to be working my dream job as a photographer and to have the ability to live creatively every day. I cannot express my gratitude enough, seriously someone pinch me! But every year of business is a new venture and though I am lucky to be my own boss, I am even luckier to have such amazing clients that make that so much more enjoyable!

6. Travel: I have always been such a lover of travel and the more and more accessible it becomes to me the more I become a travel bug! I have had a few awesome travel opportunities the past year, and so many more next year that I am so over the moon about! Traveling is such a passion of mine and I am so grateful for each and every opportunity I get to step out and see more of this beautiful planet.

7. My experiences: I feel so so so incredibly lucky to have the opportunities and experiences that I have in my life. This is such a broad category, but whether it be with my career, family, friends, anything! I just feel grateful for each and every second I have to be alive and do and see new things.

8. My health/safety: I am so thankful that we live in a place where we do not have to fear for our lives in the matter of health or safety, as well as being blessed this far into my life without any serious medical issues. I know how tolling it can be on a person and a family, and I am so thankful that neither I or any of my family members have to go through that.

9. My car: If you know me, you know that I drove an old beater around for the last few years of my life. And while I was still thankful to even have that old thing, I am even more grateful for my new car! I had saved up enough money to finally buy myself a dream car and not have to worry about my crunched up hood flying up while I am driving. Haha!

10. My home: I am so thankful to have a warm and safe environment to come home to every day and to really have a "home" instead of just a house, and basically to even have a roof over my head!

So I hope that this Thanksgiving, as well as all to follow, you take a moment between all of the yummy food and hanging out with loved ones to stop and realize how many wonderful things you are truly blessed with. Even in the worst of times, there is always something to be thankful for.

Thanks for reading!

xo