5 Thanks: How to Knock-Out Discontentment.

Whenever I start to feel irritable or just plain unhappy, I try to refocus my attention on all that I have to be thankful for. Positive thinking restores my contentment and makes me a healthier person. With that being said, however, it is super easy for me to focus on the "problems" in my life that take away my joy and replace it with worry. So, what do I do to manage this? Once a week, I make a point to sit down and journal a few things that I'm thankful for, big or small. Today, I created this list of 5 things I have to be thankful for.

1. I'm thankful for my husband. I'm thankful that he loves me and takes such good care of me! Every night, while we eat dinner, he asks me what I want to do that evening. He asks me what I want!!! He's that eager to make me happy. :)

2. I'm thankful for my siblings. I have wonderful siblings; some are near by and others are farther away, but I know I can rely on each one. I miss them a lot, which is a sweet reminder of how special they are to me and how blessed I am to have them in my life.

3. I'm thankful for my down time. When I'm in school, down time is seriously rare, so I really cherish the quiet mornings and afternoons I have during the summer. I'm so thankful for this time to work on projects, hobbies, taking care of my home, reading, etc.

4. I'm thankful for our friends. When our friends are over, having dinner with us, playing games, or chatting, our apartment feels even more like home. The girls come over for "girl time", where I'm thankful for company as we catch up while painting nails, drinking coffee, and doing face masks.

5. I'm thankful for summer. The break from classes, the sunshine, the warmth... it just makes me a happier person.

What things are you thankful for? By focusing on what we have to be thankful for, we are choosing a positive outlook, choosing to be content, and choosing happiness.

Be Thankful. :)