21 Things I'm Grateful For at the End of 2021

It’s the end of 2021 and for many, it seems like there’s not much to be grateful for. Having a daily gratitude practice forces us to find things to be grateful for, even when life is filled with challenges and uncertainty. Being specific with our personal gratitude and our gratitude towards others is what will help us get through the next year more easily.

This is my list of things I’m most grateful for in 2021. I invite you to see how many of these you also have gratitude for in your own life. If it’s not in your life yet, add it to your gratitude intentions for 2022 and allow it to manifest over the next 12 months.

21 Things I’m Grateful For at the End of 2021

1. Our home – We live in British Columbia, Canada and in 2021 we dealt with forest fires, once-in-a-century floods, tornados, heat domes and record-setting drought. Through all these extreme weather conditions, I’m grateful we had a roof over our heads, a bed to sleep in and shelter from the elements.

2. Regular income – In our family we are blessed to have multiple revenue streams. My husband has a great job and a regular paycheck. I have income from my business and earn commissions through product sales. I’m grateful that money is always flowing into our bank accounts.

3. Access to free health care & a life-changing surgery – Being in Canada, our health care is paid for by our taxes. This summer, I was able to get a full hysterectomy to remove my reproductive organs which were damaged by endometriosis. After suffering for 30 years, I am grateful to no longer be in pain and miss out on so much because of my cycle.

4. Clean drinking water – There are still thousands of Canadians who don’t have access to clean drinking water, many are in our local community. I choose to give thanks daily for the clean water that comes from the taps in our home.

5. Vaccines – Both my husband and I were double vaccinated this year, and our daughter has received her first dose. I am grateful for the access we have to vaccines and that we will soon be able to receive our booster shots.

6. Selling & buying a home – In one of the craziest housing markets ever, I am grateful that we were able to sell our home, above asking price, within 10 days on the market. And I filled with gratitude that one week later we secured our new family home, without being in a multiple offer situation and on the first offer we had written.

7. Our health – My husband, daughter and I have remained healthy this year. We don’t take our health for granted, and our lifestyle is as important as the vaccine. I’m grateful I focused on my health this year and feel the best I have in a decade.

8. Access to high-quality supplements – As part of what I do for business is helping my clients to find the right nutritional supplements for themselves and their families, I am grateful for access to the USANA products for myself and my own family. There were minimal product back-orders and I’m grateful we can choose to financially invest in our health in this way.

9. How quickly we were reconnected to Canada – After the devastating floods in BC on Nov 14th, 2021, we were effectively cut-off from the rest of Canada for over a month. I am filled with gratitude for the highway construction crews that worked tirelessly to reconnect us in record time. I’m thankful that Canada Post found a way to continue to deliver our packages and post throughout the holiday season, given the logistical challenges.

10. Easy access to nature – Moving to a different part of Vancouver Island didn’t change much to our access to trails, lakes, rivers, mountains, and the ocean. I am grateful every day that I can access nature from my front door or by going on a short drive.

11. Sunrises, sunsets, moon rise & set – Whether we see it or not, the sun rises and sets each day, and the moon does the same. I’m grateful for all the times I saw the sunrise this year, the full moon rising and a few spectacular sunsets.

12. Social media – It seems like our entire social lives are now living on the internet, and I’m grateful for all the wonderful people I met this year through social media. I’m grateful for video conferencing that allows me to work with people across the globe. And I’m grateful for all the international guests I welcomed on my podcast in 2021, thanks to social media.

13. Streaming services – Our family subscribes to Netflix, Disney+, YouTube and Amazon Prime. I’m grateful for the entertainment industry that has kept going in the face of many challenges since 2020. We are very grateful for the Marvel tv series & movies that launched in 2021, it brought our family together and gave us reasons to laugh & cry together.

14. Groceries – With supply chain interruptions and broken highways, I’m grateful that we’ve had access to fresh food all year long.

15. Our pets – We have a dog named Mouse, our cat Ollie and a leopard gecko names Luke. Our pets bring us joy and give us a reason to get out of the house for a walk. We all work from home (and homeschool) and our pets are with us throughout the day. I’m grateful for their unconditional love and companionship.

16. My marriage – In 2021 we celebrated 12 years of marriage. This year has brought us closer together and we rarely fight anymore. I’m grateful for the growth we’ve had as a couple and I’m grateful that I’m married to my perfect partner, Dan.

17. Double digit business growth – I chose to invest in myself and my businesses in 2021 in a BIG way. The work I did and the personal growth I experienced, led to double-digit growth in both my USANA business and Wake Up With Gratitude. I’m grateful to be on an upward trajectory with both of my businesses as we start 2022.

18. End of a few toxic relationships – It’s not easy to remove toxic people from our lives, especially when they are family. I’m grateful that I’ve been able to do this for myself and my family and no longer live in fear.

19. A hybrid vehicle – After the flooding in November, we were meant to ration fuel in BC. I’m grateful for our hybrid vehicle that allows us to save on the cost of fuel, and that we didn’t have to worry much when the limits were in place.

20. My gratitude practices – This is the foundation of everything I do. In 2021, I lived in gratitude most of the time. I spend my days talking, writing, and thinking about gratitude. I often wondered what my life would be life if I could live this way. I promise you this, a life that’s built on gratitude is magical. Even when the hard stuff comes across my path, I’m able to find gratitude and keep moving forward.

21. To be alive! I hope that you can all celebrate with me another year of life on earth. A few days ago, a friend lost her young daughter to a 3-year battle with cancer. She didn’t have the opportunity to celebrate the end of the year and the dawn of a new one. Tomorrow is never promised my friends, let’s remember that each day is a gift.

Shortly after I wrote this, the news of Betty White's death hit social media. I am grateful for all the laughter, joy and hope she brought us over her incredible career. I'm grateful she loved life and shared her talents with us. I'm grateful we felt like she was friends with all of us. Thank you for being a friend Betty White. May you rest peacefully.

How many of these are you grateful for as well?