500 Things to be Grateful For: Daily Inspiration!

 

We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.

Cynthia Oziek

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In less than 2 months, I have had several celebrations.

First, we were celebrating the New Year, then this blog’s third anniversary and today its 500^th post.

When I noticed the surreal 500^th mark was approaching, I was careful not to miss it.  Why?  Because I knew I wanted to make something special for that specific post.

A post is composed of many elements.  However, before the creative process starts, we need a topic. Or, in other words, we have to focus on something that has inspired or captivated us.

Travel has certainly provided me with a humongous amount of topics.  So, I asked myself, can I come up with 500 things that have inspired me to write throughout these years?

Let me be honest.  I started at a steady pace but hit the brick wall around 150.  That is when I started to go throughout the old posts and pictures. More and more words started to fill the list.

The exercise was not that simple.  Behind each item in the list, there are emotions popping out. There was a lot of pausing to remember specific moments.  And for that, I am grateful (hence the name of the post).

I am also grateful for all those of you who have stuck with me for all (or some) of these 500 posts (I know it is not an easy feat).  I invite you to think about what inspires your life.  There are so many beautiful things and people out there.  It would be a shame not to pause to acknowledge the positive influence they have over our lives.

Things to Be Grateful For

Hope you have not only 500, but thousands of reasons, to be grateful for.

1. My husband

2. Rocky beaches

3. Tide Pools

4. Sea arches

5. Piers

6. Friends met on the road

7. Taxi drivers

8. Artisans

9. Mountains

10. Lakes

11. Rivers

12. Waterfalls

13. Petrified Waterfalls

14. Small towns

15. Colonial Towns

16. Big Cities

17. Fish Tacos

18. Sailboats

19. Markets

20. Badlands

21. Salt flats

22. Canyons

23. National Parks

24. Children

25. Sand dunes

26. Mayan ruins

27. Colors

28. Sunsets

29. Coves

30. Elephants

31. Funny signs

32. Oases

33. Palm trees

34. Deserts

35. Desserts

36. Bloggers

37. Smiles

38. Islands

39. Locals offering their help

40. Gardens

41. Skylines

42. Monkeys

43. Traditions

44. Artisans

45. Hikes

46. A refreshing drink on a hot day

47. Viewpoints

48. Flea markets

49. Blowholes

50. Rainbows

51. Back Roads

52. Highways

53. Rock formations

54. Valleys

55. Convents

56. Haciendas

57. Forts

58. Heroes

59. Big breakfasts

60. Adventurers

61. Volcanoes

62. Oaxaca’s seven moles

63. Tall buildings

64. Zip lines

65. Cruises

66. Vineyards

67. Sandwich shops

68. Cafeterias

69. Geometric patterns

70. Pyramids

71. Sushi

72. Cultural centers

73. Museums

74. Festivals

75. Legends

76. Ghost stories

77. Plazas

78. Trees

79. Alebrijes

80. Giant food servings

81. Coffee farms

82. Epic falls in foreign countries (i.e. getting hurt in another country)

83. Helpful police officers

84. Chapulines

85. Crafts

86. Weird names given to places

87. Murals

88. Architecture

89. Street food

90. Buses

91. Airplanes

92. Capitals

93. Tour guides

94. Tropical beaches

95. Ferries

96. Bicycles

97. Temples

98. Subterranean rivers

99. Cenotes

100. Swimming pools

101. Rainforests

102. Unique doors

103. Guide books

104. Camping

105. Bluffs and cliffs

106. Missions

107. Lighthouses

108. Beach Walks

109. Dolphins

110. Whales

111. New Experiences

112. Parks

113. Ice cream

114. Tea houses

115. The sun

116. Starry nights

117. Hearty lunches

118. Clouds

119. Full moon

120. Marinas

121. Ethnic neighborhoods

122. Diversity

123. Culture

124. Surfers

125. Boardwalks

126. Aquariums

127. Harbors

128. Sea lions

129. Mansions

130. Statues

131. Apple pie

132. Mining towns

133. Orchards

134. Bakeries

135. Promontories

136. Food festivals

137. Scenic Roads

138. Foreign languages

139. Caves

140. Cottages

141. Art Festivals

142. Photographs

143. Paintings

144. Waves

145. Red rocks

146. Thai food

147. Birds

148. Lagoons

149. Tourist attractions

150. Night markets

151. Tasting rooms

152. Boutiques

153. Galleries

154. Miniature horses

155. Cowboys

156. Antique stores

157. Pelicans

158. Spices

159. Sea stars

160. Red rocks

161. Ghost towns

162. Bridges

163. Dams

164. Air shows

165. Helicopters

166. Tuk-tuks

167. Villas

168. Candies

169. Wildlife

170. Bells

171. Bubblegum alleys

172. Castles

173. Foraging

174. Sea salt cookies

175. Canals

176. Chinatowns

177. Windmills

178. Flowers

179. Beauty

180. Smorgasbords

181. Ostriches

182. Walking tours

183. History

184. Jellyfish

185. Clam chowder

186. Food tours

187. Dumplings

188. Butterflies

189. Petroglyphs

190. Big boulders

191. Rocking chairs

192. Mosaics

193. Clock towers

194. Boathouses

195. Calendars (with destination pictures)

196.One of a kind finds

197. Gazebos

198. Blessings

199. Dreams that come true

200. Cable cars

201. Travel shows

202. Filming locations

203. Fall foliage

204. Berries

205. Road trips

206. Parrots

207. County Fairs

208. Cacti

209. Food trucks

210. Street art

211. Farmer’s markets

212. Hotels

213. Old towns

214. Ferris Wheels

215. Memorials

216. Craters

217. Tapas

218. Postcards

219. Exotics eats

220. Umbrellas

221. Hill tribes

222. Cooking demonstrations

223. Fast food

224. Malls

225. Parrots

226. Weird moments

227. Fossils

228. White Sand

229. Island Hopping

230. Wi-Fi

231. Monkeys

232. Jeep tours

233. Kayaking

234. Fruit smoothies

235. Palaces

236. Busy crossings

237. Trains

238. Mountain passes

239. Facades

240. Reflections

241. Cathedrals

242. Carnivals

243. Buffets

244. Soft beds

245. Dinners

246. Trams

247. Futevolei

248. Money saving tips

249. Soccer

250. Fountains

251. Rainy days

252. New beginnings

253. Clean rooms

254. Sunny days

255. Cozy interiors

256. Sandbars

257. Blue holes

258. Remote Villages

259. Dirt roads

260. Iced coffee

261. Bucket lists

262. Cheese plates

263. Rest stops

264. VW Campers

265. Movies

266. Teardrop campers

267. Playlists

268. Stories

269. Sunflowers

270. Treehouses

271. The end of the road

272. Amazing design

273. Thank you notes

274. Milkshakes

275. Inspirational quotes

276. Maps

277. Comfortable clothes

278. Passports

279. Music

280. Computers

281. Light baggage

282. S’mores

283. Rowboats

284. Fluffy pillows

285. Pedal boats

286. Hot chocolate

287. Campfires

288. Bonfires

289. Good walking shoes

290. Cheap hostels

291. Letters

292. Magazines

293. Chatting with locals

294. Dawns

295. Snow

296. Pandas

297. Balloons

298. Dreams

299. Kites

300. Stairs

301. Cupcakes

302. Textiles

303. Babies

304. Fast rides

305. Laughs

306. Eating in the sidewalk

307. Infinity pools

308. Views from a plane

309. Small toiletry containers

310. Airport naps

311. Money belts

312. Nice weather

313. Scooters

314. Fireworks

315. Chilies

316. Libraries

317. Wilderness

318. Wisdom learned from others

319. Books

320. The Internet

321. Bandanas

322. Hot showers

323. Spas

324. Pizza

325. Recipes

326. Interesting characters

327. Visas

328. Chocolate

329. Horse Rides

330. Picnics

331. A Sunday in a foreign country

332. Simple hairstyles

333. World globes

334. Useful souvenirs

335. Local recommendations

336. Breakfast included

337. Restaurants open 24 hours

338. Camels

339. Wildlife refuges

340. Rangers

341. Stained glass windows

342. Pagodas

343. Musical instruments

344. Flight attendants

345. Cave tubing

346. Common sense

347. Surprises

348. Theaters

349. Frozen Ponds

350. Friends

351. Sleights

352. Empanadas

353. Lava tubes

354. Chefs

355. Alphabets

356. A hat protecting you from the sun

357. Sequoia forests

358. Light traffic

359. Gyros

360. Fishing boats

361. Swings

362. Exploring supermarkets

363. Durable cameras

364. Slang

365. Leis

366. Dogs on the street

367. Creativity

368. Spontaneity

369. Terracotta roofs

370. Cobblestone streets

371. Beach Towns

372. Pioneers

373. Bird viewing

374. Hidden Spots

375. Cane fields

376. Rhythm

377. Blogs

378. The quietness after a storm

379. Cheerfulness

380. Marine life

381. Food prepared in a wok

382. Orchids

383. Street names

384. Sunken ships

385. Submarines

386. Snorkeling

387. Benches

388. Snowmen

389. Snow angels

390. Eating seafood right at the beach

391. Sunglasses

392. Barbecuing

393. An expedition

394. Digital nomads

395. Expats

396. Mysteries

397. Date Shakes

398. Bubblegum in tropical flavors

399. Ranches

400. Strawberry fields

401. Happy people

402. Complex spider webs

403. Ice

404. Candied apples

405. Foreign money

406. Visiting historic spots

407. Chimneys

408. Actual buildings carved in stone

409. Bays

410. Free entrance fees

411. Drinking straight from a coconut

412. Visitor centers

413. Lifeguard towers

414. Imaginary creatures people believe in

415. Museum stores

416. Little things

417. Buying cheap jewelry

418. Questions

419. Clothes left to dry outside

420. Souks

421. Safaris

422. Cooking classes

423. Missionary trips

424. Neon lights

425. Local businesses

426. Investing in small communities

427. Caribbean waters

428. Taking photos during the golden hour

429. Silhouettes

430. Golf carts being the only transportation medium

431. Kelp forests

432. Migrations

433. Wood Ovens

434. Thin peninsulas

435. Solstices

436. Beach chairs

437. Hammocks

438. Cajun cooking

439. Sweets dusted with powdered sugar

440. Seashells

441. Bursts of joy

442. Quick drying clothes

443. New Year’s celebrations

444. Hamburgers and hot dogs

445. Marshes

446. Farmers

447. Houses dangerously built on steep cliffs

448. Eating outdoors

449. Transcontinental flights

450. Directions

451. Admiring the works of the masters

452. Tight-knit communities

453. Menus

454. Smooth flights

455. Elevators

456. Ice skating

457. Midnight diners

458. Sangria

459. Itineraries

460. Earplugs

461. Travelogues

462. Soda made with real sugar

463. Diversity

464. Clear days

465. Glaciers

466. Thermal waters

467. Fishing

468. Crepes

469. Double-decker buses

470. Getting asked to take a local’s photo

471. Dew drops

472. Newspapers

473. Clothes that can be used for different purposes

474. Squirrels

475. GPS signals

476. Slot canyons

477. E-mail

478. Backup Drives

479. Pharmacies (for when you need them)

480. Sandcastles

481. Biscuits

482. Compliments

483. Venetian glass

484. Kilts

485. Churches

486. Lavender fields

487. Bumper stickers

488. Sundresses

489. Sandals

490. Backpackers

491. Tulips

492. Owls

493. Getting off the beaten path

494. Crossing a stream using a fallen tree

495. Victorian houses

496. UNESCO World Heritage Sites

497. Hugs

498. Courtyards

499. Porches

500. Moments that will live in your mind forever

How many of these have inspired you?  What can you add to the list? What are you grateful for?

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