Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others; to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others. I am going to benefit others as much as I can.
—Dalai Lama

Today, September 21, is World Gratitude Day and I find myself thankful for so many people and things in my life. For what are you thankful? What do you value? Who do you appreciate? It’s a time to celebrate your existence, passions, family, friends and all the little things that bring happiness into your life every single and skinny moment of your day!

World Gratitude Day was started by the United Nations Meditation Group to express appreciation for things that individuals and groups do. Celebration of this lesser known holiday began in 1965 at a Thanksgiving dinner at the International East-West Center in Hawaii. Attendees pledged to hold a similar event the following September 21st in their home countries. This grew to be an annual event and since then, World Gratitude Day is celebrated worldwide.

Consider today a great opportunity to show your gratitude and appreciation to your loved ones, friends, relatives, neighbors or perhaps a stranger who might do a kind deed or say kind words. You can express your gratitude by simply saying thank you to someone today. There is so much power in those two words! When I travel to foreign countries, even if I don’t have a command of the language, it’s important for me to be able to say thank you—gracias, merci, grazie, obrigado, danke, tusen takk, kamsa hamnida, shukran… you get the picture. It is a classic and simple sign of grace and acknowledgement to another person.

Shower those who are dear to you with love and appreciation and incorporate gratitude into your existence, especially when dealing with adversity. We all have so much to be grateful for, so today it would be fun to bring all of our gratitude together and really feel how powerful it is. Let us take today as an opportunity to focus on it and welcome it into our daily routine.

Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer.
—Maya Angelou

For what are you thankful? What do you value? Who do you appreciate? Please feel free to share in a comment below.