Thanksgiving: a time of gratefulness, rest, and of course, good food.

It is very likely that you engage in the tradition of practicing and reciting thanks on this particular holiday; perhaps it's a common tradition to go around the dinner table and take turns stating what you're thankful for as you enjoy a feast of turkey and sweet potato casserole.

Since it's a typical practice on this holiday, we put little thought into it and recite our blessings to fulfill the task, check the box of "I gave thanks on Thanksgiving," and move on.

However, on a day centered around giving thanks, taking a step back to truly recognize and reflect on the blessings in your life is a practice that may be a great new tradition. Thankfulness should not merely be seen as a proclamation around a roasted turkey: thankfulness is a state of the heart and mind. Thus, when reciting our blessings or writing them down, we ought to be intentional in doing so.

There is truly so much to be thankful for.

No matter what your situation, no matter how difficult your year has been, there is always something to be truly thankful for. Whether they be large blessings or the tiny blessings that approach you every day, there is always good if we choose to find it.

If you can't seem to find anything, allow me to help you begin by addressing the basic, daily blessings:

Each morning we wake up and take in a breath of fresh air: a sign that we have made it to see another sunrise.

Many times we inch close to death: we run through a stop sign or we almost trip down a large flight of stairs, yet we're still here on this crisp November day.

We have overcome difficult situations: we will surely be faced with more, but we can overcome with the power of God.

Then I encourage you to assess the specific, individual blessings that you have experienced this year. Perhaps you or a family member has experienced healing, maybe you have met an incredible new friend, or maybe you're just thankful that you have made it through another semester at school or another season of life. Be specific and really recognize all the positive things that have happened to you over 2018.

So this Thanksgiving, I encourage you to be intentionally thankful and ask yourself, "What am I truly thankful for this year?"