What good resolutions do you have for this new year? The new beginning always seems like it’s going to bring some fresh air to our lives, pushing us to make lists and lists of things we absolutely have to do, or stop doing, and so on. We focus only on those negative thoughts, on those aspects of our existence that aren’t quite like we imagined them: our job, our family, love, our friends, our bodies...

What would happen if we think of those things that makes us smile and think “I’m so lucky” instead? Wouldn’t it be the best attitude to start the new year instead? Here’s 10 things to be grateful:

1. You’re healty

Everyone has something, it’s true, there’s someone who always gets the flu in winter, or the allergy, but there’s worse, let’s face it. Think about how lucky you are to be healthy.

2. You’re free

In some regions of the world you wouldn’t be allowed to speak your mind, to think, to express yourself in the unique way you do now. We can decide in one day to do something and actually do it if we want. It’s something that we never think of, only because we’re living in a safe environment, in a place where this is automatic to think for us.

3. You have a family

Family is like salt: if you don’t have that everything is tasteless. Having your family near you –and not necessarily geographically speaking- it’s something that give us strength, that makes us who we are. There are people who never met their parents, while we can make that stupid phone call to our mom to ask her which spice goes in the meatballs.

4. You have friends

Friends are the family you choose, so let’s extend what I just said about it. Not everyone has this privilege, not everyone is able to socialize or open him/herself to new friendships, or to nurture the one he/she has. Having a group of friends, big or small, it’s something extraordinary, it’s such an amazing feeling to have people who have the same mind as you have and at the same time so different from you!

5. You have technology

I’m not talking about videogames or voice controlled speakers to act cool in front of others. I’m talking about how easy the communication became for us. You can make a phone or video call from the opposite side of the globe to whoever you want and can talk live. Today, there are people who still can’t make a phone call, can you think of how difficult it must be to ask for help?

6. You can choose

We can decide to do basically everything we want: go in vacation, what to to in the weekend, what to study at university and so on. Everything is taken for granted for us, we don’t realize how lucky we are to hear our relatives saying “what do you want to do/what job would you like to do”.

7. You have a home

Home sweet home. It doesn’t need to be enormous, with fancy furniture and so on. Your home is your personal nest, it’s the place where your soul can be at peace. It’s a gift, one to be really grateful for.

8. You have hobbies

Do you like to spend your free time to write, draw, paint, redo fences, watch historical films, fish, swim? If you have one of these or a thousand other interests, your hobbies make it a part of your day enjoyable and carefree. Something which, once again, be truly grateful!

9. You have the music

Beautiful sounds and tones, the music has a touch of the supernatural, a metaphysical effect that flows on our body, mind and spirit. Think about your heart songs, the melodies that accompany your life: the feelings and emotions you feel are an immense gift for which to give thanks!

10. You

Last but not least, you. Your uniqueness, your existence, is something extraordinary. It is something to not only be thankful but something to take full advantage, to live 100% every day. And how? Not focusing on the negative, but going forward due to the strength that give us all these positive forces that surround us.

These were just 10 examples of things that we could be grateful, but we all know that the list can go on for many, many pages. You’re grateful for what?