The Power of Gratitude During Thanksgiving

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States, I’m wondering what everyone is grateful for. Yes, Thanksgiving is about being with family, friends and enjoying a feast. In the U.S. it’s about being grateful for freedom, peace and prosperity. I think it’s actually about that and a lot more.

Showing gratitude and appreciation for what we have in life is a form of wellness and self-care. It helps us focus our mind on the good things in our life. It reduces our focus on what’s not working. The more you practice focusing on gratitude, the more your mind is going to stay focused on positive thoughts. Our brains have the ability to create new neural pathways, which means we can change our thoughts and focus on what’s positive in our life.

I’d like to share a Gratitude practice that I do most days that you can try out for yourself. Please make sure you write down your answers for this exercise. It’s much more powerful when you write things down rather than creating a list in your mind.

Take a piece of paper or a writing journal and sit in a quiet location for 3-5 minutes. I like to do this in the morning. My mind is quiet then. The craziness of the day hasn’t begun. Write at the top of the paper, I am grateful for… write down everything that comes to mind. It can be in any area of your life (health, career, family, relationships, love, money, creativity, learning, spirituality). Keep writing until no other thoughts come into your head. Then, if you have a few more minutes, write down next to each item why/how each item brings you joy, happiness and gratitude.

Here’s a few examples to get you started. I’m grateful for: 1. My home, because the views of the water bring calmness and joy every day. 2. My cat Layla, because she brings me love & joy every day

There are no right or wrong answers, this is about you and what you’re grateful for. Some days you may have a long list and other days it may be shorter. Keep your mind open to whatever comes through.

Bonus practice, look at your Gratitude List at the end of the week and reflect on how much you have to be grateful for. Notice in a week, month or year how much you have to be grateful for in life.

Wishing you and your family a happy Thanksgiving. Fun fact, the first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade featured zoo animals, not balloons.