Although turkey and the fixings are an integral part of Thanksgiving in our family, the day is so much more than that. It’s about family and friends of course, but it’s also about gratitude. 

Over the last few years, I’ve gotten into the habit of writing down at least five things I’m grateful for at the end of each day. It gets me in touch with all the things in my life that I appreciate from my clients and co-workers to my family and having a job I love. From having a safe place to live to being able to walk to my local pharmacy or market when I need to pick something up. Sometimes it’s big things I appreciate, other times they’re very mundane – seeing the sun come out after a rainy morning, a stranger lending me quarter right before the meter maid gives me a ticket or uncovering a favorite pair of boots that were buried in the depths of my closet.  All those little things, big and small, add up to an “attitude of gratitude.”

So with Thanksgiving upon us, it’s an opportunity to think about how much I have to be grateful for and remember that many people, right in my own community, are suffering. Be it hunger, homelessness, domestic violence or another issue, far too many people don’t have enough resources to meet their basic needs. So I’m not only reflecting on what I have, but taking a moment to make a contribution to my favorite local charitable organizations and lend my time and energy to the issues that mean the most to me.

Take a listen to this week’s audio tip on how you can create your own attitude of gratitude both on Thanksgiving and everyday – and appreciate all that you have. And you can get the scoop on why an attitude of gratitude helps keep us healthy.

What are you most grateful for this Thanksgiving and what do you do to reflect on it?

Filed under: Gratitude, Healthy lifestyle, Thanksgiving