My mornings look relatively the same most days: wake up, lay in bed for as long as I possibly can before I absolutely have to move, get ready, have breakfast and eventually get out to conquer the day. My nights are fairly regular as well: finish up anything that has to be done before the next day, eat a snack (which usually turns into fourth meal), get ready for bed, scroll through Facebook and eventually fall asleep. The only thing that really changes from day to day are the people I come into contact with.
Often times we get so wrapped up in our daily routine that we forget how big of a role other people play in our lives. There are many people we see in a day's time, some of whom we see almost every day, some we hardly ever see and some we have never met before. It's so easy to forget to thank these people for being part of our lives (even if they are only in it for a short period of time).
1. Your parents.
Bet you didn't see this coming, right? But so many of us forget to tell our parents thank you not only when they do something especially nice for us, but also just because. Even something as simple as a text that says, "I just want you to know how much I appreciate you" lets them know that you acknowledge what they do.
2. Your grandparents.
If you're lucky enough to still have your grandparents around, let them know how happy you are to have them in your life. Take five minutes to write them a letter via snail-mail just to say you're thinking of them.
3. Your brother or sister (or a friend who is practically your sibling).
As much of a pain as they can be sometimes, you have a relationship with them that you can't possibly ever have with someone else. They've seen you at your best and at your worst (more often the latter) and still love you all the same? That's pretty neat.
4. Your best friend.
Regardless of whether you've been best friends for one year or 10, they understand you unlike anyone else. Let them know how grateful you are that they respond to your random texts about nonsense, laugh with you at jokes that no one else finds funny and are always there for a pick-me-up when you need it.
5. The ex who you're still close with.
While so many people hold grudges over what has happened in the past, this person has not. Though they may not have wanted to be in a relationship with you (or vice versa), they like you for who you are and still want to be part of your life; that says a lot.
6. The ex who was a total [expletive].
Now for this one I'm not saying that you should go up to this person and say, "Thank you for being an a**hole," but I am suggesting that, for your own sake, think of the good things that came from them. While you may no longer be in touch, at one point they played a big role in your life and taught you a lot (even if it's just what you don't want in a relationship), which will help you in future relationships.
7. Your significant other.
While birthdays, Valentine's Day, and other holidays are times that remind you of how grateful you are for them, it's important to make sure you tell them at other times, too.
8. Your roommate.
Your roommate knows things about you that no one should know...and yet they're still your roommate. Enough said.
9. The nice waitress (who didn't mind that you ordered dressing on the side, extra cheese, and no pickles).
Sometimes we forget that customer service workers are humans too. They have better things they could be doing and people they would rather be with, but instead they took the time to make your day a little better even if theirs wasn't that great. Make sure to return the favor (don't be the customer they go home and rant about).
10. The coffee barista who didn't just make your coffee but made your day.
If a coffee barista at your typical coffee shop doesn't just make your coffee and send you on your way but instead spends the time to make a connection with you, thank them for that.
Even if not all of these apply to you, some of them do, and that gives you at least one thing to be grateful for. You never know what struggles other people are facing, and sometimes a simple thank you can turn their day around.
