In today’s materialistic world, many of us take ordinary things for granted. Sure, life has its ups and downs, but at the end of the day, each one of us still has things to be thankful for. Here are forty-three ordinary things we can all be thankful for.

1. You woke up this morning.
2. You have plenty to eat.
3. You woke up to an alarm because you are employed or in school.
4. You have family and friends.
5. You can read and write.
6. You have water that is safe to drink.
7. At the end of the day, you have a place to go home to.
8. You have a warm bed to rest in.
9. You have plenty of clothes, jackets and warm clothing to wear.
10. Others make and have made sacrifices for you.
11. Past experiences, good or bad, have made you who you are today.
12. Your parents and everything they do for you.
13. Your grandparents for sharing their wisdom with you.
14. Freedom of Speech.
15. Sunrises.
16. Sunsets.
17. Freedom of Religion.
18. Living in the United States. This opens up so many opportunities for all people.
19. The ability to vote and help elect the leaders of our country.
20. The brave actions of our military and armed forces.
21. The many advances in our medical field.
22. Your health, even on days when you may not feel 100%.
23. Your senses, which allow you to observe and understand the world.
24. Your parents, teachers, mentors and others who helped to lay the foundation for your education.
25. The bravery of our police officers, firefighters and other first responders.
26. You can walk, run, exercise and move.
27. Laughter.
28. Happiness.
29. Vacations
30. Hard time that allow you to appreciate the good ones.
31. Sunshine
32. Snow-even when you have to shovel.
33. Rain. It helps to sustain life on Earth.
34. Challenges. They help you to become stronger and wiser.
35. The ability to think and retain information.
36. Time spent with loved ones.
37. Safe travels-even if it is just from your house to the grocery store.
38. Freedom.
39. Holidays, celebrations and birthdays.
40. Pets.
41. Your heritage.
42. Earth and her ability to sustain life.
43. Life in general!

At the end of each busy day, take a few moments to look at everything you have to be thankful for. It is much more than you think!