100 Completely Overlooked, Yet Awesome Things to be Thankful For

Amazing things to be thankful for are all around us, sometimes you have to open your eyes. Especially when you don't feel joyous.

Is there anything worse than being in a totally bad and negative mood and having someone say something like “you should count your blessings.” Sure, when things go bad I know that there is always someone worse off than me, but I also think things could be better. If you look for things to be thankful for, they are all around you.

I grew up with privilege. No, I didn't grow up a Kardashian. Way, way, far removed from them. But, privilege is all in degrees, isn't it? No matter how bad things get in my life, how many knocks I experience, and how badly I'm beaten down by bad luck, I can always find things to be thankful for.

100 wondrous things to be thankful for that we take for granted

I am not trying to convince you that if things in your life suck right now you shouldn't wallow for a while. Everyone needs their pity party to move on. But, I would insist that everyone, and I do mean everyone, has things to be thankful for.

A function of being human, God, or whoever rules this universe, gives us all things to celebrate even in times when the last thing we feel is celebratory.

#1 Rain. Not everyone loves rain, but it is the thing that makes the flowers and grass grow. It also washes all things away to make everything new. Like a do-over, rain is one of the things to be thankful for.

#2 Love. No better feeling on earth. What feels better than being in love? If you have people in your life that you love, then you have something to be very thankful for.

#3 Kissing. Is there anything more exhilarating than when your lips meet theirs? A very strange practice for sure, I am very thankful for the times I get kisses from the guy in my life.

#4 Smiles. Smiles are like a little shot of happiness directed your way. Smiles make your day bright and all your problems seem that much less.

#5 Laughter. Laughter truly is the best medicine. Be thankful when you can find the humor, even when things are not humorous.

#6 Puddles. Puddles aren't just for kids. Come on now, you like to drive through them and stamp them every once in a while, admit it!

#7 Wind in our hair. Nothing more life affirming than letting the wind whip your face as you find your freedom in a convertible, motorcycle, or just our riding your bike. The wind is something miraculous.

#8 Rainbows. Not just the gay community is thankful for rainbows. They are pretty amazing!

#9 Children's laughter. That includes the laughter of a baby who just learned how to giggle. It just sets your heart on fire. I suppose that I should lump YouTube here too because you can listen to it anytime you want.

#10 Sunny days. Sunny days are like soaking in energy that lasts forever.

#11 Rainy days. Rainy days are God's way of giving you a break to do nothing but lay in bed and watch a movie on a weekend.

#12 Friends. What would life be like without friends? I can't imagine not having anyone to pick me up or to vent to.

#13 Family. Sometimes you are thankful for them, sometimes not. But when the shit hits the fan, it is nice to have them around.

#14 Shelter. We all need someplace warm and safe!

#15 Good food. Of any kind!

#16 Shoes. Can you imagine how much your feet would hurt?

#17 Orgasms. They make you feel really good, right?!

#18 Praise. When someone says, “good job,” that is something that you should be thankful for. There isn't enough of that going around.

#19 Sex. It makes us feel good and connected to someone.

#20 Emotions. Good, bad, or indifferent, it is better than walking through life without anything but vanilla.

#21 Spring. Blooming flowers and spring showers.

#22 Fall. Sweater weather and football.

#23 Quiet. Sorry, that might just be for those of us with kids.

#24 Children. That one during certain stages might not apply, but overall, it always will.

#25 Cars. Walking everywhere would be a total bitch and waste of time.

#26 Pizza. Melty, cheesy goodness. What's not to be thankful for?

#27 Netflix. What did we do before we could watch whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted?

#28 Music. It can bring you up, allow you to wallow, or just remind you of the best time ever.

#29 Hugs. We need human touch, and hugs are one of the best forms.

#30 Starlit nights. A reminder of how big this universe is.

#31 Campfires. No need for scary stories just the people who make you smile.

#32 Heat. It would suck to be cold all the time!

#33 Air conditioning. It would really suck to be hot all the time.

#34 The internet. Sometimes a blessing, sometimes a curse.

#35 Smart phones. A text from someone you love or a chance to check out your pictures.

#36 Free will. If you use it the right way, or any way I suppose.

#37 Baths. How good does rushing water feel?

#38 Pets. Until they pee on your carpeting!

#39 Ziplock bags. Disposable stuff rocks!

#40 Wine. It just takes you away.

#41 Beer. Let's be thankful for the hops!

#42 Credit cards. Especially when you get in a jam!

#43 Freedom. The best thing in the world, we should be thankful for soldiers here too!

#44 Vacation. Time away gives the perspective we need.

#45 Superficial people. Without them we wouldn't know what depth feels like!

#46 Social media. It gives us a chance to stay connected with people we weren't able to before.

#47 Cookies. Hot out of the oven…

#48 Moms. Maybe not all of them, but I am thankful for mine!

#49 Penicillin. We don't suffer like they used to.

#50 Indoor plumbing. No more outhouses? That definitely rocks.

#51 Random acts of kindness. A little kindness goes a long way.

#52 Comfortable couches. Nap time!

#53 Walmart. Wally world has like everything you need.

#54 Fast food. Yum!

#55 A roof over your head. Sleeping in the rain is miserable. And wet.

#54 Clothes. Although there might be some people you wouldn't mind seeing naked.

#55 Laundry machines. Beating your clothes on rocks was hard work.

#56 Refrigerators. Leftovers are the best. You should be thankful for them too.

#57 Fireflies. It is a miracle how they can light up their little asses, isn't it?

#58 Therapists. We all need someone to talk to.

#59 Good health. If you have it, be thankful for it!

#60 Sunsets. It's almost bedtime!

#61 Sunrises. The promise of a new day.

#62 Mountain views. If you get to go, go.

#63 Sandy beaches. And a cold beer!

#64 Dessert. Chocolate! Sugar rush! Enough said.

#65 Drinks with umbrellas. Love my frou-frou drinks.

#66 Earphones. Especially the noise canceling ones.

#67 Pick-up lines *that work*. We all need to feel wanted.

#68 Toothbrushes. Clean teeth are the best.

#69 Flowers. They make the world look and smell more beautiful.

#70 John Mayer. Sorry, this one might just be for girls, but I am thankful that he introduced the notion of my body being a wonderland!

#71 Concerts. A crowd of people excited together.

#72 Traditions. It connects us to our past.

#73 Flex time/freelance positions. What is better than working from anywhere?

#74 Home ownership. Until something breaks, that sucks.

#75 Summer. Sunshine warm on your back.

#76 Christmas *or any holiday*. Family and friend time and lots of good food.

#77 Snow days. There is nothing more to be thankful for than a free day to sit at home and do nothing!

#78 Doctors. Love them, hate them, but we'd be pretty sick without them.

#79 Companionship. We all need it.

#80 Old people. Some of them… They give you knowledge when you need it.

#81 America. Lots of freedoms.

#82 The ability to vote. If you don't use it, you can't be thankful for it, so use it!

#83 Freedom of speech. Sometimes good for you, sometimes bad, but be thankful you can say what you want without fear.

#84 Your favorite t-shirt. It fits all your kinks and is oh-so-soft.

#85 Memories. What if we just went from day to day without ever remembering the good or the bad? Pretty meaningless.

#86 Youth. If you have it.

#87 Your first crush. Whether you knew it or not that was about the most exciting feeling you will ever have. Hopefully, you enjoyed it!

#88 French fries. And ketchup!

#89 Hair ties. Girl thing, nothing worse than your hair in your face and mouth all the time.

#90 Makeup. It can hide just about any blemish.

#91 Compliments. They just make you feel good.

#92 Being educated. If you are, you know what I mean.

#93 Dancing. The crazy kind, like just letting it all go free and easy.

#94 Sunglasses. Looking cool and keeping wrinkles at bay.

#95 Living in a first world nation with first world nation problems. Yep, as horrible as they can sometimes be, imagine if you didn't have them at all.

#96 Good hair days. There is nothing better.

#97 Luck. We don't all have it, and we don't have it all the time. When we do, it sure does feel good.

#98 Blessings. These are all the things I have lumped into things that make you, you.

#99 Sneezing. Anyone who had to sneeze but couldn't get it out knows what this means!

#100 Being alive. Is there anything else?

The things to be thankful for are typically the ones we take for granted most. The next time you feel like life beats you down, or you feel like the unluckiest person in the world, take a look around at all the miracles you can find. If you just open your eyes a little, you see that you have so much to be thankful for.

Sure, life is not always a piece of cake, and things can be rough. The good news is every day is a new day filled with wonder and things to be thankful for from sunrise to sunset.