This time of year always brings about reflection and an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Not only is Thanksgiving one of my favorite holidays, but it is almost time for me to celebrate another journey around the sun which naturally brings about reflection on my past year.

This year has been so interesting. I’ve taken self-care to a new level and it has been a year I needed it. I want to take a moment to do a little free-association gratitude list to take in all this year has brought. These items are in no particular order other than how my brain has summoned them. I’m sure I’m also forgetting many things.

• Feeling surrounded by love when a big love of my life moved on
• 4:30am wake-ups
• The opening of a new Monstera leaf that is just perfect
• The fox that visits in our backyard
• Books that have taken me to places and transformed me
• Audiobooks and the ancient feeling of storytelling
• Soft blankets
• Warm home
• A husband that makes life more enjoyable and not lonely
• A son that is life
• Plant-based foods that fuel my body and soul
• A dad who is my rock and my biggest fan
• A mom who is with me now more than ever
• Meditation practice each day for almost 200 days and has truly changed my brain and the way I see challenges
• The ability to go for hikes and appreciate them
• Music that brings emotion
• Struggle and the growth it can encourage
• Friends that are family
• My sweet dog who is always by my side
• Mother Earth and all she gives
• Indigenous wisdom and a refreshing way of looking at our lives
• Morning meditation books that start my day in a thought-provoking way
• Peanut butter toast with cinnamon, banana, and three different types of seeds to give me the energy I need to get started
• Coffee with its aroma and sharp taste
• Tea and its ability to hug me from the inside
• Podcasts and the knowledge they give
• Writing through journaling and poetry and the gift of creative expression
• A beautiful sky
• Sunlight on my face
• The power of sleep and its restorative qualities
• The feeling that things will always be better in the morning
• Researching something and finding exactly what I needed
• Putting together a project that will benefit others
• Having hope that the world can be a better place
• When someone finds a purpose for me and the gifts I can offer
• Supportive colleagues
• Seedlings
• Messages sent through the wind
• Feeling more connected with nature
• The sight of a mourning dove
• A good find at the thrift store
• A life without alcohol
• Finding healthy ways to process my stress and worries
• Someone saying they love me without me prompting it first-the fact that at that moment they felt love for me and wanted me to know it
• Emotions and feeling them
• The sound of raindrops on leaves
• A good, rolling, thunder
• A friend who is actually a sister and has helped me more than she can know
• The way morning light enters our home
• Good health

I know there is so much more, but this is a start. I am so incredibly grateful for this life I have been given.