This year, more than almost any other year, It’s difficult to find things to be thankful for.  I don’t think there’s a single person alive on this planet who isn’t struggling in some way, whether big or seemingly small.  But I also think there are still some things we can all find to be thankful for, even if it feels like scraping the bottom of the barrel.  I think it’ll help to do that, and would like anyone who reads this to join me.  Nothing is too small.

My own first day is simply this: The knowledge that it is okay to not feel happy all the time.  That “Choose joy” stuff is well intended, but makes it seem like we can simply choose not to have emotions.  The most positive person in the world will still hurt upon the loss of loved ones and beloved pets.  You can’t just choose your way out of it.  Yet there’s been this massive push toward telling people to just choose to be happy.  But that’s simply not something we can always choose.  When you understand that it’s okay to not always be happy, especially right now, you don’t feel guilty for not “choos[ing] joy.”

Give yourself permission to feel what you feel.  Silly as this will sound, this Barbie video…BARBIE…is one of the best I’ve seen on this.

So for today, I’m thankful to know that having a full range of emotions, the sad and the mad and the frustrated with the happy and relaxed and upbeat, is okay, and in fact, something to embrace.  You can’t know what happiness feels like without also knowing what sadness feels like.