Every year growing up, my family’s Thanksgiving feast would begin with everyone saying one thing they’re thankful for. I never really enjoyed the activity because I always thought to myself, ‘How in the world am I supposed to pick just one thing?’ The task seemed near impossible given how incredibly fortunate and blessed I am.
I don’t think I’m alone in that line of thinking; so many of us have an endless list of things to be thankful for. But there’s one thing that has never made my extensive list and I’m fairly certain no one else has it on their's as well. So this Thanksgiving, as you reflect on everything you have in life, on everything you are thankful for, don’t forgot to be thankful for yourself.
In the midst of family and friends and delicious food, take a moment to appreciate all that you are.
It seems selfish, I know, to place yourself on your own list of things to be thankful for, but you, too, are worthy of being on that list. After all, it’s really not selfish at all to love yourself and who you or who you are in the process of becoming.
Now more than ever, it’s vital that we each make our own list of things to be thankful for. A recent study published in the journal Pediatrics found a 37 percent increase in depression in teens and young adults. The alarming part is that despite the spike, there has been no paralleling increase in mental health treatment.
Which means if you’re reading this, there was probably a time in the not-so-distant past that you looked in the mirror and only saw worthlessness. And instead of reaching out and getting help, you kept it to yourself, deciding to fight the battle all on your own rather than burden someone else.
And that is why you need to be thankful for yourself. Because despite the struggles and hardships and all the times you felt like quitting, even if they only lasted a moment, you didn’t hit quit; you hit continue. No matter what season of life you are currently in, you are here and that is all that truly matters.
If I’ve learned anything in past few months, it’s how sometimes just living is an act of courage. Sometimes just getting out of bed in the morning and going to class or a job or an internship and continuing on is a type of bravery in and of itself, and it deserves to be celebrated, even if quietly.
So celebrate, because you matter beyond belief.
