As the calendar turns to the year鈥檚 penultimate month, all eyes are on the upcoming holidays. Thanksgiving is up next, full of hearty meals, parade floats, and American football games. This is an exciting time for everyone, and it鈥檚 a season we all look forward to.
Thanksgiving is all about being thankful for what you have, but sometimes being grateful is easier said than done. Life is full of hardships, many of which have been magnified by Covid-19 and other present-day calamities. Not to mention the growing rate of depression and anxiety forming among both children and adults today.
Being thankful in 2021 doesn鈥檛 have to be so difficult. With just a few steps, you can change your entire outlook on life and really be able to stop and smell the roses on your way to 2022. Here are some of the things you can do to be more appreciative:
1. Keep a Gratitude Journal
One of the simplest things you can do to become more thankful is to keep a gratitude journal. All you need is a notebook and a pen. n, each day, write down at least one thing that you were thankful for before bed. Keep up this habit for at least a couple of weeks.
Some days you might struggle to find a single thing to write down. So do your best to write down at least one thing, even if it鈥檚 just thankful for oxygen. Over time, you鈥檒l be able to pick out more and more things that you鈥檙e grateful for, which will gradually improve your outlook on life.
Use your Calendar to stay on top of your gratitude journal for as long as you need it.聽Creating an evening habit聽is your best bet so you can reflect on the day you鈥檝e had. Consistency is critical here, so try not to miss a single day if you can help it.
2. Lend a Hand
Giving service to others is one of the best ways to be more positive and thankful regarding your own life. For starters, witnessing the struggles of others can be eye-opening to your life where your problems pale in comparison. Second, there are few feelings as heart-warming as hearing someone be thankful for you and your time and effort to help another human being.
With the holiday season starting to get underway, there are sure to be several community events where your services will be beneficial. Don an apron at a soup kitchen, volunteer at a nursing home, or deliver presents to an orphanage. Pay attention to the smile you鈥檒l have on your drive home and think about how much more thankful you are for things now than you were starting the day.
Every time you聽plan to volunteer聽and serve, add the event to your Calendar. Feel free to send calendar invitations to friends and family members you think would enjoy the outing as well.
3. Make a Change
In addition to looking outside of yourself, take some time to do some introspection. Are there aspects about yourself or your situation that you can improve? It鈥檚 easy to blame the world when things aren鈥檛 going your way, but more often than not, there are steps you can take to improve your situation. In addition, you鈥檒l find it much easier to be thankful after you鈥檝e made the necessary changes.
Start by cleaning up your room. We鈥檝e all put off this task for longer than we should, so there鈥檚 no shame in admitting it now. You鈥檒l feel much better once your laundry pile is put away and your bedroom floor is finally clear once again. Isn鈥檛 it easier now to be thankful for where you live and the things you own now that everything is tidy?
Other changes will be more profound, such as聽breaking a smoking habit聽or getting back into shape. It will take a lot of hard work, but after making those changes, you鈥檒l be so glad you did. You鈥檒l be more thankful for your health and for the activities you can now participate in.
4. Say Thank You More Often
Need another simple solution to lift up your spirits?聽Say thank you聽more often! se two words can be powerful when used in repetition, significantly if you鈥檝e fallen out of the habit.
Let鈥檚 say you forgot to bring your lunch to work, and that鈥檚 soured your mood a little. Of course, you might only be at Taco Bell for that reason, but still, take the time to say thank you to everyone who serves you. Doesn鈥檛 that make you feel a little better? You might even make the day of a food service worker who鈥檚 having an even more challenging day.
5. Surround Yourself With Loved Ones
Sure, people can ruin your day by being rude and inconsiderate. But, forget them for a second. Instead, you鈥檒l find it much easier to be thankful when you surround yourself with supportive, loving individuals.聽Family and friends聽are so important if you want gratitude to abound in your life.
A social experiment showed that individuals increased their happiness levels by considerable amounts when they took time out of their day to call a loved one and express their gratitude to them. Now imagine if you made an effort to express such feelings regularly. n, your family and friends will reciprocate your gratitude and fill your life with so much joy and kindness.
With Covid-19 regulations being lowered, make time in your Calendar to hang out with these essential people more often. Take an old friend out to lunch, go visit your grandparents, or go to the movies with your in-laws. se little activities will give you so much to be thankful for.
This Thanksgiving, make an effort to find more gratitude than ever. holiday season will be much more enjoyable as you put these simple steps to the test to end the year.
By Hunter Meine
Pezou : 5 Ways to Be More Thankful