November seems to have snuck up on us. Alas, it has arrived! As November starts we all start to come down from the chaos and candy rush of Halloween and focus on Thanksgiving. Throughout the month we use one word over and over again: Thankful.

I try to ask my kids multiple times throughout the month to tell me things they’re thankful for and I press a little further asking why. The answer I hear the most from them is, “Toys”. When I ask why the answer is because it’s fun and they make me happy. Sometimes it’s a specific toy - my daughter loves stuffed animals and things that sparkle, my son loves cars, sharks and dinosaurs. I ask how they make them happy and they answer because it’s fun and playtime is their favorite.

Those innocent responses always make me think about it myself. Oftentimes we say we’re happy for family, friends, the roof over our heads, our health. Those are all valid things and we should be thankful for those. With some family loss and health wavering in others, I cannot express enough how thankful we need to be for our abilities. Our ability to move around each day. Our ability to care for our families. Our ability to care for ourselves. You guessed it… that includes exercise. That physical ability to move should never be taken for granted. Be endlessly grateful that you can do things to get you through each day. That includes those little things we don’t think of: picking up a baby, walking your child to school or even just getting to wake them up in the morning for school.

Be thankful you exist. Be thankful we have this village of wonderful and supportive women. Be thankful you can show up to classes and move in any capacity. Be thankful for what your body has been though. Guess what mama, I’m thankful for you!