Giving Thanks

I'm sitting in my backyard as the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade blares behind me on the television inside the house. I drink my green tea, look at the calming man-made lagoon right in front of me, and smile. I have so much to be thankful for.

One of the many things that I am thankful for is YOU!  Yes, you reading this blog right now.  Without you, I wouldn't be where I am today. To my loyal, kind, and inspiring followers... you have read or heard or even seen me at my lowest and at my highest point of my life. You guys don't know it, but you have motivated me to become the best version of myself with my dance career and in life. 

Today, I’m aware of the fact that life is better than I deserve, which is saying something these days. The world is full of pain and suffering, hardship and turmoil, disappointment and regret. So the fact that I can be thankful and mean it is, in its own way, a small miracle. I'm learning that being grateful is a choice. I am not lucky, fortunate, or merely disciplined; I am expected to do something with the grace I’ve been given. And so are you.

So therefore, I chose to make a list today.

A Gratitude List.

The Gratitude List

To be frank, gratitude is not my natural disposition, so this took some time and effort. It was a discipline to remind myself of the many reasons I am thankful for. 

I challenge you today, wherever you are and whatever you are doing, to take some time to appreciate everything about your life and to create a gratitude list. There is so much to be thankful for and if it doesn't come naturally, don't let that stop you from giving thanks.

Anyways if you were still curious, here are my top 5 reasons to give thanks today:

1. I am thankful for my family, friends, and significant other. For their unconditional love and support through all the hardships and triumphs I have faced. They motivate me to be the very best that I can be. I simply would not be here without them.
2. I am thankful for my life, health and strength as well as my friends from near and far.
3. I am thankful for this community and for the opportunities that always allow me to push myself to be my best.
4. I am thankful for dance. Without it, I wouldn't exactly know who I would be. It has given me so much happiness and joy!
5. Lastly, I am thankful for love. Love is an impossible word to define. Songs, poetry, books, and movies try to capture the essence of love, yet nothing can compare to being the giver or the recipient of authentic, sacrificial, and enduring love overflowing with child like expectancy.