Sunday, November 29, 2015

5 Unconventional Things I'm Thankful For



I started this post as a typical things I’m thankful for and I found that my list was pretty basic.  Like most people, I’m thankful for my friends and my family.  They are a tremendous source of love and support.  However, I wanted to think outside the box and find some non typical things I’m thankful for.  Here’s my top 5 in no particular order.

1.  Failure
This may seem like an odd thing to be thankful for but it is something that I’ve only recently started to embrace.  Failure is scary but inevitable.  Most of my life I’ve tried to avoid it and ended up missing out on so much.  In the end, as a human, I have managed to fail at things along the way and I’ve learned and grown so much through those experiences.  Failure not only helps you to learn from what didn’t work out but I also have found though the process of failure I have realized how much I have to be thankful for so it’s something that kind of comes full circle.

2.  Social Media
Social media is the glue that binds us together.  Whether it’s the friend you’ve reconnected with or a fellow blogger that you enjoy, social media keeps us connected in a way that wasn’t available just over a decade ago.  I’m thankful that I have the ability to share in the joy of my friends as they go through all the milestones of being an adult, even though we are miles away.  I also love how social media opened my world to so many content creators (bloggers, YouTubers, Instagramers) that I would never have know about otherwise.  Seeing the world through their eyes has inspired my creativity and provided hours of binge watching/reading/scrolling.

3.  Random Chats with Strangers
This may seem small but on days when you are caught up in your own thoughts, having a chat with a stranger can help you feel connected to the world.  It’s ironic that in an age where we can be so connected with others via social media that we can still feel disconnected from each other.  Random chats help me realize that we are all connected and in ways that don't involve a feed.

4.  Mentors Who Cared
Like most people growing up, I had times of self doubt and confusion about my future career and life in general.  Having mentors that I could talk to and believed in my abilities really motivated me to believe in myself and achieve my goals.

5.  Passionate People
There’s something about a person who is passionate about what they do that inspires you to find your own passion in life.  Their enthusiasm is magnetic and success seems to fall in their lap.  Well, I’m sure this is probably an over exaggeration but it does seem like it.  I still feel like a work in progress on this one but I feel like as I get older I’m coming closer to figuring it out (at least that’s what I’m telling myself anyway).



What are you thankful for?


18 comments:

  1. Failure and passion people are things (and humans..? haha) that I'm extremely thankful for. Failure, especially, because of how it has -- cue the cliche! -- has made me who I am today. I think this list is absolutely wonderful.

    May | THE MAYDEN

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    1. Failure is a really informative experience if you let yourself be open it. Thanks May!

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  2. i agree with you on social media (not that i disagree on other points but i definitely second you for the following reason). people are skeptical about the boom of social media these days, by the reason that it diminishes factual, non-virtual interaction among people. but there are bright sides to social medias too, which are what you pointed out. likewise there were downsides to the era during which social media was not such a big thing, the information available to us were limited and the connection we were able to grow were slow and not as expanded as it is now. ergo i definitely am thankful for social medias.

    and random chats with strangers, so much yes! i've heard a quote that has become one of my words to live by: everyone you will ever meet knows something you don't.

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    1. Social media has it's good and bad points but in the end I'm really happy it's around. Great quote Wynne!

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  3. This is such a good and creative list. Random chats with strangers really can be very grounding and inspiring. Some days you just need to connect to someone in person and sometimes that person just happens to be a stranger.

    - Courtney
    courtneylthings.blogspot.com

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  4. This is such a creative list! I am as well thankful for failures because they create us in some way. Also, I am thankful for people who inspire others or a creators that give us a bit of happiness through their work :)

    -Leta | The Nerdy Me

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    1. I agree, Leta failure is very formative! Thanks!

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  5. This is a lovely list! Talking about my problems with a stranger always serves to put them into perspective for me. I love social media as well, especially Instagram...maybe I love it a little too much haha! Great post :)
    xo Kiki
    http://colormekiki.com/

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    1. Instagram is pretty addictive! Thanks Kiki!

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  6. Love No.3...when I find people or certain life situations exhausting sometimes, it's usually a random chat with a wise stranger that restores my faith in people :-)

    – Lubna | The Digital Review

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  7. This is such a lovely idea, to think about the more unusual things you're thankful for. I completely agree about social media - although of course it has its downsides, an awful lot of good can come from it too, particularly connecting with other bloggers :)

    Gabrielle | A Glass Of Ice
    x

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  8. This is such a thoughtful post Amy, I have really enjoyed it. Like you, I guess I am most thankful for my own failures as I've noticed myself in the last couple of years that not being able to achieve something isn't always the end of the world and it can actually open up many more avenues!

    X

    Anjelique

    http://www.anjelique.com.au

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    1. I agree, failure can direct your life into different avenues you didn't anticipate. Thanks Anjelique!

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  9. Great post, your answers are quite inspiring.

    http://themakeup-gypsy.blogspot.com.au/

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