Being Thankful

In all this talk about money, I often lose myself in just that -- money, money, money. Though I don't mean for it too, sometimes it just overwhelms me and becomes too much of a focus. Too much of a focus, that is, compared to what I want it to be.

That's one reason I started the More Important than Money category -- so I could regularly remind myself (and others) that money is not the end all and be all.

Another thing I like to do to re-focus now and then is think about all the things I'm thankful for. It moves me away from thinking about money to what matters most in my life. A few of the things I'm thankful for:

• My faith
• My family - immediate family and my mom, dad, and several close relatives
• Good friends
• Good health
• A wonderful job with great co-workers
• KFC 3-piece meals ;-)
• Time to relax and enjoy it all

So what about you? What are you thankful for? Leave your thoughts in the comments below to help yourself and others shift our focus -- if only for a little while.

Comments

[Kira]

Definitely my two guinea pigs - they are perpetually like little three year olds whose daddy is coming home, when they run to the side of the cage and look up at you with their big eyes. No matter what you are doing, they are very interested and want to know what is going on (and to chew on it.)

Having a great landlord - we could have found some other place comparable for the price but we would not have our wonderful landlord who painted our entire apartment in colors of our choice before we moved in, ripped out our neighbor's sink instead of ours when he needed to get to the pipes (because he knows we cook a lot and they almost never do), and who came out three times to work on our air conditioning in the last week.

A good education and a good brain - I can't even imagine what my life were like if I were dumber. I'm not genius level but I pick things up pretty quickly, and this skill has gotten me a lot of places, despite my lack of numerous actual skills. =)

Being quite healthy and sturdy despite my lack of taking care of myself.

[Financial Freedumb]

Great post FMF. I might start a series on this one day...My plan is to take one day out of each month to think about one or two things I'm grateful for, family, friends, teachers, etc. In fact, I may just start tomorrow.

[Citrine]

I love the fact that you are adding this section to the blog! I am so taken with the idea of early retirement that I sometimes forget what a wonderful life I have right now:

Micro--my amazing cat
a great job
a phenomenal boss
healthy parents
spa days--massage, manicure, and pedicure
a beautiful apartment
31---but people thinking that I am 23-25!!! Now that is something to be very grateful for :)

[annab]

* 70-degree sunny weather where I can take a nap outside

* brownies

* A smile from a cute boy

* Finding clean socks when I haven't done laundry

* Breezing through a physical exam with flying colors

* Family in a non-crisis state

[Bad Credit]

- great husband
- good work
- air conditioner

[used vans girl]

Have been so busy with work the past 12 months have completely forgot about the things that I should be greatful for like family, friends and health. Its easy to take them for granted and think they will always be there.

[Life Compass]

I'm grateful for my great wife and kids, and the ability to do the work I love.

[gez]

Family
Good health
Freedom
Those who protect our freedom.

[Victoria]

After being underemployed awhile and unemployed even longer, I am now very thankful to have a full-time job that I love. I am now able to better meet financial obligations and share some of my monetary resources with the less fortunate. What a blessing!