Thursdays are for Thankfulness

I know, my daily life blog posts can sometimes be dull, as you hear about what I'm learning or the small bits of my day. But I know you love them (at least a little bit!). So here's another of my, what hopefully will become, weekly posts - Thursdays are for Thankfulness. My goal is to tell you a few things I am thankful for here in London. These things will vary weekly and please, feel free to tell me what you're thankful too! 3 things I have felt thankful for this past week... here goes nothing.

1. My family. You probably should have guessed this would be the first in a list like this! Let's talk a bit more in depth regarding why I am thankful for this. First off, my 89 year old aunt spends her days checking her email on her Kindle and sending me updates. We exchange emails on an almost daily basis. Nothing brings a smile to my face more than reading an email about her daily adventures and the time she spends with my grandma. You go Aunt!

Then there's my mom. Mom makes sure to start and end every single day with a message to me. Conveniently, she's usually up in America when I'm getting up here. Nothing makes me feel happier than knowing my mom is supporting me 100%, even from across an ocean. (Note: this picture is probably 2 years old but you get the idea... I figured mom would appreciate one where she was tan!)

It's not always easy being far away from your family but I am so blessed to have a family who makes an effort to keep in touch daily. From messages from aunts and uncles, to phone calls with grandma, to Facebook messages, emails, and 45 minute phone calls with my brother, thanks for making me feel loved family. You're all the best. 

2. Marks & Spencer. I didn't think a grocery store would become my favorite (no, this does not replace Wegmans. Wegs will ALWAYS be #1 in my heart). This store is more of a Target than a Wegmans, as some of the stores have clothing. The one nearest to me is a Simply M&S. This means they have a variety of prepared and easy to prepare food. 

My favorite deal? They have 2 for 3 deals on things like Tabouleh, grain salads, orzo, etc. They make for the perfect lunch and are decently cheap! The food here is overall much healthier and this store makes it easy to eat healthy! I love fruit and veggies, which are so stinkin' expensive, but Marks & Spencer has reasonable prices. 

I'll admit, I miss all of my spices and cooking utensils (trying not to buy all those while I am here) but the store does a good job of making me forget about those! (crockpot, Keurig... I miss you!) 

Next time I head into the store, I'll be sure to take some pictures! 

3. Lastly, I am thankful for my gym membership. I hear the groans regarding this subject already... But for me, personally, nothing feels better than a good workout after a stressful day. Something about lifting things and stretching makes the day seem easier. Maybe it's because I can get all of my stress out in the form of lifting heavy objects. Instead of releasing stress in a negative manner, it is helping me to become stronger and more in shape! Yay! 

The gym is 2 tube stops away and takes about 15 minutes to get to ( I can't complain) but it allows for some "me" time! I don't want to be the girl who comes back from studying abroad 15 pounds overweight. I think I can enjoy my time here while still remaining healthy (aka: limited alcohol intake , less junk food, working out... ) I believe there is no excuse for not working out. Even if I go and only stay 30-40 minutes, I never regret going. So I am thankful for my "me" time at the gym and the place I can go to release some stress. 

If you want to see where I go - check this out! EnergyBase

What are you thankful for? I believe once we being to focus on what we have compared to what we don't have, we become much happier people. Maybe take a minute today to think about what you're thankful for. 

THANKS FOR READING! Happy Thursday! (More school/adventure updates later!) 

Just so you know - I'm working on taking more pictures to document my stay! Sometimes I forget, in the hustle and bustle of the day but I'll make sure to start taking more!