An Inspired Life: Thank You - The Importance of Gratitude

Thanksgiving
Written on November 22, 2018

In the United States, Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. Traditionally, Thanksgiving is celebrated by gathering family and friends together to contemplate gratitude and share a robust meal. Menus vary by culture, but popular entrees include turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese and desserts.

Thanksgiving tables vary, but many look something like this.

Being that the holiday is ‘Thanks-giving’, the main theme is gratitude. I am thankful for family, good friends, and my many blessings. Also, recently, I reflected on the environment and the importance of taking care of our oceans, lakes, mountains, flowers, plants and natural habitats.

Nature is giving

Cultivating beautiful internal and external spaces manifest comfort and peace. According to Feng shui, the placement of objects in your environment affect your health. We need nature, and nature needs us. Being around trees, forests, or mountains, according to scientists, is good for your health and well-being.

I am thankful for our community members who:

· Organize and volunteer for neighborhood clean-ups

· Work to ensure that trash is picked up and recycled

· Use trash cans instead of littering in public spaces

· Avoid polluting oceans and lakes so we can have clean
drinking water and healthy seafood

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you

Being in a state of gratitude promotes feelings of abundance. Even when having enough, there is always room for more. Consequently, focusing on scarcity, especially situations outside of your control, can lead to feelings of ‘un-thankfulness.’ To me, this is why Thanksgiving is special-it is all about being mindful of the present moment and appreciating what you have right now. According to Harvard Health, gratitude helps you feel positive emotions, value good experiences, improve your health, and build strong relationships.

At the same time, many people experience sadness during Thanksgiving, or other holidays, because they remember time spent with loved ones who have passed away. In her article, Emotional Survival Guide for the Holidays, Denise Mann advises activities that can help people cope with the holiday blues. Several community non-profits provide free meals and other services for those in need.

Often, we say thank you when we get what we want, but may live in sadness when our expected plans fall short. I am learning that a healthy way of looking at rejection, the thanks-but-no-thanks, and the falls, is to say thank you as well. Why? I like a quote by Dr. Wayne Dyer, "Nobody knows enough to be a pessimist." What we think we want, may not be what we actually need. Sometimes favors come in mysterious ways, including not getting what we want. What glitters is not always gold. After you have done your best to achieve your goals, allow life to unfold the way it is going to anyway. Let it be. Continue to strive for the best, plan, and sacrifice. Eventually, if you are sincere and believe, opportunities will appear. Believing in yourself and goodness make things happen.

May you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.