It’s that time of year again! I can’t believe Thanksgiving week and the frenzied holiday season are here already.

I’ve highlighted how gratitude can help improve many aspects of you life, including your relationships, health, and wealth. And this week more than most, people take the time to appreciate their lives. (I’ve even seen people practicing gratitude for the entire month.)

Whether it’s for a year, a month, or a day, make sure to take stock of the people, experiences, and things you are thankful for in your life. Here are some of mine for this week.

 1.     Hosting for Thanksgiving: This year Ben and I are hosting both sides of our family for Thanksgiving. It will only be the second time that they’ve all met and gotten to hang out (the first being our wedding). I’m looking forward to quality family time.

2.     The Ability to Buy All of the Food That We Want: Since we are hosting, we’ve already purchased the majority of the food for the event. Our grocery bill was twice as high as normal and will continue to go up as we purchase the rest of the food. And while the amount caught my attention, we didn’t hesitate to get everything that we wanted. That is a luxury that doesn’t go unnoticed or underappreciated in our household.  

3.     A Warm Place to Sleep: Over this past weekend, some of our friends participated in the Chicago Sleep Out – a sleep out for one night to raise money for homeless Chicago GLBTQ youth. It happened also to fall on the night of the first snow in the city, so I know it was pretty uncomfortable.  It’s a reminder that not everyone has a warm home to go to.

4.     A Lazy Weekend: Ben and I spent the weekend lounging and watching Jessica Jones on Netflix.  Some of my favorite times with him are just sitting and relaxing together. I feel very fortunate to have him in my life.

5.     A Short Work Week: I love my job. But there’s nothing like having the ability to take time off and hang out with your family and friends over a long holiday weekend. I’m grateful for a job that gives me that luxury. For those who don’t get the time off, I hope you love your job enough to make it worth it.

Have a wonderful and grateful Thanksgiving holiday!