This is the time of year that kicks off the holiday season with over-indulgences in food, shopping and more shopping after that. Long lines at the post office begin, exponentiated traffic and pumpkin pies seemingly reproduce themselves. Thanksgiving’s purpose is to celebrate the coming together and sharing of a meal with friends and family and while November doesn’t hold the patent on thankfulness, it is the time of year that we look for more of the things we are thankful for. With the added stress of travel, quintessential meal planning, and avoiding uncle Al at the thanksgiving table, the busyness of the year often clouds our appreciation and we have less time to sit, relax and reflect without the football game taunting us in the background.
The truth of the matter is that being thankful requires effort and it doesn’t automatically arise on the fourth Thursday of the month. It especially requires effort when we feel that the sun may not be shining as brightly as it could or that the state of the world is not as kind as we would hope it to be. We want gratitude to be an overwhelming emotion but inclinations of entitlement and lack of realization may inhibit our feelings emerging as such. We need to take the time to sit, relax and reflect despite what is happening around us so that we remember how much there is to be thankful for. Gratitude requires practice and consistent meditation if needs be. Our participation in recognizing the smallest things can cultivate more awareness in that which we are thankful for. It’s the attitude of gratitude that brings the sentiment of thankfulness and paradoxically, when we express our gratitude for even the clouds, the sun begins to shine far brighter than that which has been forecasted.
Happy Thanksgiving! Take a few moments to be grateful and express to those around you their importance in your life. Pull action from emotion and volunteer for your favorite organization. Donate the turkey your boss gave you to a family less fortunate. I am thankful for those who have taught, inspired and continue to refine my weaknesses. By meditating more deeply on that which I am thankful, I find the small and simple things that bring more happiness to my life daily. Fostering the habit of gratitude throughout the year will boost your happiness level, create room for better relationships, and contribute to your overall health. What’s not to be thankful for?