It seems to be that as the weather gets gloomier, people’s attitudes follow suit. It is during these unenthusiastic times that we should try and focus on the little things in life that bring us joy; the things we should be thankful for.
1. Coffee
This is an essential. To those strange individuals that do not need coffee to go about their days, I applaud you. To the rest of us, let us be thankful for our most loving and trusted relationship, the one with our cup of coffee. Coffee is there for us in times of hardship and struggle. It picks us up when we are at our lowest. The amount of activities and responsibilities the average person faces in a day is extraordinary; why not give yourself a little help with a warm cup of java.
2. Netflix
Serious talk, not only does Netflix have a collection of old TV shows and movies (streaming ad and virus free) that you can check out anytime, they have their own creations that are some of the best works on screen today. We are seeing content that includes more diversity in terms of race, gender, and sexuality, something we are still lacking in our mainstream television programs. Representation matters and Netflix understands gets that. Also, are we really not going to be thankful for the platform that brought the Gilmore Girls back into our lives?
3. Dry Shampoo
Let’s be real, sometimes we just cannot afford the time to shower. Is it gross? Yes. Does it happen more often than you are willing to admit? Yes. This problem is exactly why we are tremendously thankful for dry shampoo. Before you judge, understand that there are simply times in which keeping up with hygiene is tough. For example, when finals roll around, all non-school related activities, including personal hygiene, are put on the back burner; it just happens. There is nothing quite as handy as a product that gives you the illusion that you are cleaner than you actually are.
4. Books
There is a dignified reliability in books. The stories we are able to transport ourselves into are astounding and the fact that it doesn’t require Wi-Fi is rare these days. To be able to pick up a book and dive into something larger than ourselves, at any point, anywhere, is almost therapeutic. When the stresses pile up, it can help to just pick up an old favourite book, and get lost for a few hours.
5. Female Friendships
I mean no disrespect to all the lovely men out there providing fantastic friendship. However, there is something unique about a good old fashion girl squad. These girls are there when we need to vent about work, school, family, or just life in general. They’re the ones who show up at our door with ice cream or wine for stay at home nights. As Roxanne Gay writes in her book Bad Feminist, “abandon the cultural myth that all female friendships must be bitchy, toxic, or competitive. This myth is like heels and purses — pretty but designed to SLOW women down”. Looking around at all our inspiring and incredible female friends, we are thankful that Gay is right- this is very much a myth.
There are obviously much more substantial things to be grateful for in our lives, however, it can sometimes be useful to focus on the more minute things that often go overlooked. We can certainly be thankful these things exist no matter how trivial.