“Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.” —Zig Ziglar
To get us in the mood for the Thanksgiving Holiday, I have come up with 8 ways we can find gratitude & be thankful. So often, with holidays, we forget the true meaning and the stressors / triggers of family create chaos, some of which we can try to remove.
- Write down 2-3 things right now that you are thankful for. It can be as simple as the coffee in your hand, or the fact that you are taking a few minutes to read this and write your 3! Practice this every day.
- Grab a journal, not only for the listing of things you are grateful for today , but to go back and review the things you write, to see and feel the things that made you thankful last week, last month and last year. It will truly begin to change the way you find gratitude.
- Share your gratitude. Let someone you care about know you are grateful for them. The act of sharing your feelings will not only make you feel so good, but, on the receiving end, you will watch the joy in making another happy.
- Learn from a bad experience. What was it that happened and what can you learn from it.
- Commit to a cause you believe in. Volunteer in some capacity, your heart will feel full.
- Accept the compliment. Say thank you and believe it. Walk away and know you are worth it.
- Notice things around you that you don’t normally see. A tree’s leaves changing colors, a baby grabbing their feet in a stroller, an elderly couple holding hands, anything that can and will allow your heart to smile…
- SMILE. It works. From your insides you will feel it and from the outside, others looking at you will feel it. It’s contagious.