I recently watched an interview with Scott Harrison, founder of Charity: Water, an organization that brings clean water to over 4 million people in developing nations. In the interview, he discussed how having grown up in the United States, or any developed country, it is difficult to imagine walking for 8 hours a day to fetch water for our families, only to bring back dirty water because that’s all that is available. It’s difficult to imagine getting sick with diseases that we’ve never even heard of from drinking water. Or having to choose between cooking or cleaning your clothes or washing your body.

It got me thinking: I live a fairly modest lifestyle, yet, at any time, I have access to 7 faucets in my home that deliver fresh, potable, disease free water on demand. One of those faucets even provides filtered water because my palette teeters on the verge of snobby. I even whine a little bit when the water is too cold.  When a bottle has been sitting around too long, I toss the water outside to the plants, knowing that I can always get more. Even as I type, I sip from a plastic bottle filled with fresh water, and there’s another one sitting here once that’s empty. We take it for granted that water will always be at our fingertips.

I am reminded of a meme that appeared on Facebook shortly after the ALS Challenge began to take hold. In case you forgot, people were encouraged to dump an ice cold bucket of water on their heads, or they could donate $100 to medical research.

It is nearly impossible for me to imagine a world where I can’t get a drink within minutes. This makes me wonder, what else can I not imagine? I have food in my fridge, and if I run out, I can go to the store and get more. I have access to medications when I need them, I have a nice, warm coat for the winter, I received a good education, and there has always been a roof over my head.  So perhaps the most important thing that I can do (and maybe the first step for someone setting off on a philanthropic journey) is to be grateful for everything that we do have.

As you go into 2016, please keep in mind that even when things look low, you most likely have everything you need. Not everyone does. Perhaps you couldn’t afford the newest drone for your son, or the latest iPhone for your husband, but you all ate dinner. Stop focusing on what you don’t have and start looking at what you DO have (and maybe even start sharing it with others).

Along with our New Year’s resolution to incorporate service, let’s also incorporate gratitude. I am grateful that all of my basic needs are met. This frees up my time to create, to problem solve, and to inspire others to do something amazing for the world. What are you waiting for… go!