My Month of Thanks….

…I am posting all at once.  I have already posted everyday for my #100happydays challenge and decided that it would be more interesting to have all of my thank you’s be in one place so I can go back later on and reflect on them.  The order that they are in does not mean that one or the other is more important to me.  I have learned quite quickly as I wrote them down how incredibly fortunate I am in life.  Proof is below:

I am thankful for…

Day 1) My friends: both old and new who make everyday brighter. I love how when we talk that the hours pass too quickly.  We can speak freely about everything to details of our day to intimate facts about relationships. Especially after not talking for weeks, it is wonderful that we are not awkward with each other but simply fall back into our old ways!

Day 2) My oldest sister Sarah (along with my bro in law) for allowing me to live you and providing a home to get my footing again back in VA. You have been there for me since I was born and provided me with such comfort even from far away. You are an amazing role model, older sister, friend, and mother to LILY.

Day 3) My sister Heidi for showing me the beauty of allowing oneself the freedom to jump into a new situation and figure out how to make it work. Seeing the life you have created for yourself in CA was inspiring. You are a strong woman who knows what she likes and wants and it is an admirable quality.

Day 4) My Sister Rose: I love talking with you and seeing how easier our relationship has become over time. I love every minute I spend with because you are a ball of light. You bring a great sense of humor and a calming presence to any situation. I would willingly give you the shirt off my back…oh wait no…out of my closet 😉 if you needed it!:)

Day 5) My youngest sister Beth: for being my first best friend. You have been through many of the same experiences as I have. You are so strong in how well you have adapted to your diabetes. You are blunt and honest but also caring. I feel lucky that our relationship is still close despite the distance between us.   I’m looking forward to seeing all the exciting events you will experience as you transition from Longwood University into the real world!

Day 6) My Mom, Linda Wildermuth: thank you for being an amazing example of a jack of all trade. You don’t do everything just ok, you do it perfectly. You bring a warmth into my life that always comforts me even when I’m distressed. Thank you for being my road trip buddy and encouraging me to go seek my dreams even if it means making a big move two times in one year.  Your constant support has always made me feel like I could do anything.  I am so lucky to have such a strong, caring, and beautiful person to love, admire, and call my MOM! 🙂

Day 7) My Dad: like mom, you seem to know how to do everything, and do it well. I don’t think I’ll probably meet many men who know how to fix basically anything that is broken, create amazing furniture through exceptional wood working skills, explain everything about cars and electronics, as well as of course chat with me about movies and TV. You are the person who instilled my love of film and  helped direct me a bit on the path I’ve been on.  I love all of our one episode television ideas! 🙂 I cherish our traditions (especially the Grand Illumination) and love that I live closer so we can continue them.

Day 8) My niece Lily: you are still little so you don’t understand the impact you’ve had on my life yet. From the moment I found out your mom was pregnant, I knew I loved you! Seeing you grow and learn about the big world for the first around you creates a new wonder in me. You are an amazing, beautiful, and smart girl. Your personality and sense of humor is so awesome. Every time I hear your laugh it brings joy to my heart. I feel very blessed that your parents brought you into the world and have invited me to live with you. I missed so many people while living in Los Angeles. I missed you the most.

Day 9) My health- I can train for crazy long runs and feel somewhat motivated to do so. I look out for my weight and want to work hard to get slimmer and shed the pounds I gained while living in California.  I have basically 20/20 vision and hope to maintain that as long as I can.  I read magazines and watch movies about seniors who still look good because they took care of themselves when they were younger.   I hope to be one of those people.

Day 10) For my car- I paid it off and now the big issues are fixed so now I am able to get to and from work without any worries.  I am thankful that although it looks small, it was able to hold almost everything I owned as I drove to and from California. Even without air conditioning (I know…a first world problem), it is a great car in my favorite color. I am proud to call it mine.

Day 11) For my intuition:  it has helped me learn a lot more about myself this year than I ever imagined.  When I allowed myself to have faith in it, I was convinced to move back to Virginia from CA which has been one of the best decisions I have made this year. I was scared of feeling like I was giving up but by listening to it, I have been so happy and found even more opportunities.

Day 12) my passion for life, my friends, and my family. My focus on living everyday to the fullest helps keep optimism, even on the frustrating days, a priority. I am lucky that I have several very good friends who enhance my life in every way. They make me laugh, cry, and even sing when times are both good and bad. My family and my intense love for them is what keeps me motivated and deepens my passion for life and my friends. My parents and sisters have shown me what positivity and enthusiasm can effect in my daily life and in those around me.

Day 13) My smile: I think it makes me more approachable and easier to talk to. I’m overall pretty optimistic and I try to maintain it even when I have a bad day.

Day 14) Music- it makes my heart happy and keeps the legacy of my Grandmom going on forever. I am lucky that both my parents are so talented. My dad played trumpet and my mom is an incredible singer. I don’t know what a day would be like without singing or dancing and my ability to read music.

Day 15) My determination: prevents me from backing down. If someone says I can’t do something, it only makes me want to keep going and complete tasks that he or she doesn’t think i can. This aspect of my personality gives me the faith I have in myself that I will succeed in reaching my life goals and completing my bucket list.

Day 16) my baking skills: I enjoy making delicious treats but it is also nice to see smiles from other people when they enjoy what I make. I am also blessed that these skills helped me raise $3200 for The Leukemia and Lymphoma society last year. A cause that is important to me and hope to continue contributing to through future Team in Training events.

Day 17) my job and internship-together they make for a busy week but also a very rewarding one. At both I get to interact with really interesting and cool people and gain valuable skills. One I get paid while the other has lead directly to a paying job related to my major. Starbucks has a ton of benefits while working (free drinks!!!!) and also outside of work (insurance, partner perks, discounts, etc,). My internship has opened my eyes to another side of the television and film industry that I find really interesting. I don’t know how I ended up receiving both of these opportunities but im glad I did.

Day 18) reconnections: becoming better friends with someone I didn’t think would become a close friend again. It’s really nice having another person who I can talk to about basically anything without feeling judged or silly. We have known each other for so long that I don’t feel embarrassed to talk to her about anything. Plus, since so much time has passed, it’s. neat reflecting on our childhoods and seeing how much we have grown as people.

Day 19) the opportunity to go to college: for the reason, read my previous post!;)

Day 20) Barrett Mohrmann: we haven’t talked in awhile and he is now dating someone else, but I hope he knows how thankful I am that he was my first real relationship. He was a great friend and awesome first boyfriend who gave me a new appreciation for myself. I am from a large mostly female family (4 sisters and more female cousins than make) and so I seriously didn’t think men could care less what I was talking about and thought I was too silly. He was the first guy to take the time to know me and put up with my goofiness. It didn’t work out for several reasons but I still reflect well on our time together.

Day 21) Coworkers: at every job I have had, I feel like I have to warm up to people kinda slowly before I let them in and get to know the slightly weird overly enthusiastic me. I’m thankful that eventually that by the time I have left many of my jobs, I have become fairly close with my coworkers. I can gladly say that I am still good friends with many of the people I used to work with and keep in touch. I have always learned from each of them valuable lessons about our work but also life. I appreciate the times we’ve had together!

Day 22) Being Single This Past Year: has allowed me to live on both sides of the country within one year with out feeling the stress of long distance or being tied down by any obligations outside of my familial ones. I’ve had the time to focus on myself and my job goals. I have had to find my happiness on my own which is a big step for me. Hopefully though, I can start meeting guys with future potential!:)

Day 23) My fears: because they are meant to be conquered. Being myself and living on my own….conquered during the first half of this year. Auditions…conquered back in June and last September (didn’t get a role in the plays but I made the effort). Public speaking… The debilitating fear that has cause me to cry in front of my class mates in 10th grades lead to me becoming a leader for several college groups, take an acting class, and become more outgoing. Running a marathon…completed last October. For the same reasons why I won’t let someone else tell me I can’t do something, I try to not let myself get in my way either.

Day 24) my calendars: they keep me organized and in touch with my friends because I can plan efficiently when to visit or talk with them. Schedules keep my slightly OCD self in check.

Day 25) my love of books: because I love the peaceful feeling I get when I’m reading. It is so exciting to dig into a book and imagine a different world. Even if I don’t read a lot everyday, I still try to include a few pages a day to end it in a relaxing way.

Day 26) pictures: they capture all the amazing moments of life and allows me to reminisce and be grateful for all that I have. I like not just seeing them on social media but having the physical photos in frames on my walls so that the important people in my life are available for me to see even if they are not currently physically present in my life.

Day 27) art: I am grateful that I have been brought up with a good appreciation of the arts. Films, paintings, concerts, and poems are all parts of activities I have been involved with this year. I hope that whatever career path I go down will involve creativity.

Day 28) my ability to both apologize and forgive: I know that it is harder to say sorry in situations when another person is at fault for a mistake. But I have definitely seen in situations that the person who apologized becomes the bigger person and sacrifices ones ego for the betterment of the relationship. I met someone this year who proudly said that he would not say sorry unless he truly meant it. While obviously one should always mean it, sometimes it is best to let go of the issues one is arguing about simply to compromise and move one from a frustrating situation. It may anger me in the moment, but it has also made me feel better in the long run. It may sound horrible but many people don’t change and dwelling on that fact only would hurt me. By apologizing, forgiving, accepting who another person is, I have been able to focus on the more positive sides of people and better figure out who my real friends are.

29)anything I have forgotten in this list. I am incredibly lucky to have the people and experiences that I do I life. I know that my problems and stress are quite small issues when compared to some peoples, so I also know that this long list could be even longer

Day 30) happiness- a state of being that I did not have four months ago. I feel like my emotions have done a 180 since moving back to VA. No longer is my mind full of negativity and doubts. There are still some tough days but tears are definitely less frequently occurring. In a crazy year, I am glad I am nearing the end feeling the way I do now rather than how I did back in July. I have many blessings, but happiness is possibly what I am most thankful.