At the beginning of this year, I wrote a gratitude list of 50 things I’m grateful for. I remembered that post recently when I thought ahead to the New Year. I feel a lot of fear when I think about what is to come next year and beyond, but fear doesn’t do a lot of good unless it motivates some sort of positive action. I have been working to incorporate doing good every day (more on that later), but positive action can also include acknowledging all the things that are right with the world. After all, a perfect antidote to anxiety and uncertainty is reflecting on the many reasons to be thankful.
If you’re like me and you’re feeling anxious—whether that’s from the incoming president or post-Christmas bills—I invite you to make a gratitude list, too. It may just help you feel better about the end of 2016 and look forward to the New Year.
My 2016 Gratitude List
Here are 50 things I’m grateful for, big and small, in no particular order. I’d love to hear what’s on your gratitude list!
1. The library
2. Grandparents
3. Caffeine
4. Washable art supplies
5. Texting
6. New friends
7. Old friends
8. The camera on my phone
9. FaceTime
10. My loved ones’ health
11. Expert and caring doctors when we’re not so healthy
12. Trampolines
IMG 9445 from Catherine Ryan Gregory on Vimeo.
13. Teachers
14. The kindness of strangers
15. Clean water
16. A safe neighborhood
17. Date nights
18. Moms’ night out
19. Blogging friends
20. Hearing and watching Eric play with our girls
21. Easily accessible healthy food
22. The freedom to speak my mind and find like-minded people of action
23. A flexible job that allows me to work from home and keep my career
24. Un-asked for hugs
25. Baby sign language
26. Warm pots of tea
27. The rare moments where I get to enjoy a hot pot of tea while it’s still hot
28. Family vacations
29. The great outdoors
30. Kids who love the great outdoors as much as I do
31. Unconditional dog love
32. The abundance of opportunities to laugh
33. Ignoring the rules, even when they’re my own
34. Creativity
35. Music
36. Kids who don’t judge me for singing off key
37. Extra snuggles in bed
38. Breastfeeding and the support to continue as long as Kiwi and I want
39. My mom, who watches my girls every week and allows me to work
40. Happy surprises in the mail
41. Unexpected calls from friends I haven’t talked to in ages
42. Opportunities to give back
43. Loved ones who don’t hesitate to help when I need it
44. Cozy socks
45. Chocolate
46. Confidence
47. Quiet nights in
48. Playing games with friends—one of my all-time favorite things
49. Staying warm and dry when it’s wet and cold outside
50. Most of all, far and away, my loving, caring, hilarious family
What are you most thankful for today?
Join me and a whole bunch of other bloggers in writing your own gratitude list. Here are instructions for the gratitude exercise from Dawn at Tales from the Motherland:
Set a timer for 15 minutes; timing this is critical. Once you start the timer, start your list. The goal is to write 50 things that make you happy, or 50 thing that you feel grateful for. The idea is to not think too hard; just write what comes to mind in the time allotted. You may find that if you use numbered mode, and just type what comes to mind, like me you will have enough time for more than 50. When the timer’s done, stop writing. Finish whatever sentence you’re on, but don’t add more. If you haven’t written 50 things, that’s ok. If you have more than 50 things great; you can’t feel too happy or too grateful! Add the photos, links, instructions, etc after you finish the list––the timer doesn’t matter for getting these details down; it applies to the list only. Be sure to link back to this post, so that others can find the instructions and join in too.
Great list! I will have to write out my own list and post with a link to yours! This is a great idea. I will certainly work on this tonight 🙂 Blogging friends are definitely on my list too 🙂
April, I can’t wait to see your gratitude list! I hope you had a wonderful holiday. Wishing you the best in 2017!
What a great idea! And so many on your list would also be on mine 😉 Happy New Year to you and your family!
Thank you Michele! I hope you have a happy New Year with many more things to be thankful for on the way!
I love this! My husband and I have a New Year’s Day tradition of writing all of the things we are grateful for from from the previous year, all of the challenges we faced, and all of our goals for the new year. While there are a few things on the list that aren’t necessarily positive (i.e. in the challenges portion), it gives us good focus for the new year, and also helps to reflect on the good that came and the good that will continue to come in the new year while keeping things in perspective and focus.
Right now, as I type this, I’m currently grateful that my husband is cleaning out and washing out our refrigerator (and I didn’t even ask! he just knew it had been bugging me, so he took it upon himself to do it) 😉
I’m am also incredibly grateful for our health and the fact that I can continue to take care of myself and my family! Something I hope to never take for granted.
I LOVE that tradition. What a wonderful way to wrap up one year and move ahead on the next!
I love it! Several of these things would be on my gratitude list as well. I’m very thankful for the development of our friendship over this year. 😀 Happy New Year love!
I’m grateful for you, too, Jenni! <3
The library and dog love are high up on my list too!
Three cheers for dog love and free books!
Pingback: 50 things I am thankful for in 2016 – From diapers and tutus to meetings and boardrooms
Brava, Catherine! I so appreciate you joining my annual #BloggersUnite for #50HappyThings again this year… and once again your list is filled with heart-warming images and wonderful things. As an older mama, some of your photos really pull at my heart strings!
I could not agree more: while I feel anxious about this New Year, and all that might come, if we don’t stand up and put forth good things and work for change, there is little point! Is it possible to edit this to include the instructions and a link to my post, so that others can link up and join too? I don’t usually leave links in the comment section, but here it is so you can add easily. https://talesfromthemotherland.me/2016/12/18/50-happy-things-bloggers-unite/ Thanks again for contributing; I love reading each of these lists and sharing all this positivity!
This is such a great tradition, Catherine. I am grateful for you: for your uplifting approach to life, for little window you open through which I can watch your family grow, and for the kinship I so often feel as I relive memories of myself as a young mother when I read your posts. I hope this upcoming year brings you great joy.
And I am grateful for you, Renee, and our bloggy online friendship! I’d love to see your 2016/2017 gratitude list. There’s so much to be thankful for.
Your title caught my eye so I clicked a link to get here. The pictures in this post are absolutely fantastic! I just wanted to stop and say I really really enjoyed this post!
Thank you, Cathy! So glad you stopped by. Thank you for taking the time to write a comment! 🙂 Happy New Year.