Take Time to Give Thanks
Thankfulness is something we tend to reflect on
during the holidays, obviously giving it the most attention on Thanksgiving.
While the holidays are a great time to be purposeful in giving thanks,
we would all benefit from making thankfulness a part of each and every day. A
recent article I read only seems to bolster this perspective. Belle Cooper, at
the Huffington Post, recently wrote an article titled, "Ten
Simple Things You Can Do Today That Will Make You Happier, Backed By Science”.
Number ten on her list was practicing gratitude. Citing two research studies
she noted that practicing gratitude was likely to increase one’s positive
affect, life satisfaction, and interpersonal relationships. In addition, Ann
Voskamp, author of “One Thousand
Gifts,” wrote a book about the importance of giving thanks and her journey
of learning to count her blessings. She goes so far as to say that the simple
act of counting your blessings “is guaranteed to change your life.”
Inspired by resources such as these, as well as by
the thankful spirit of a close friend, one year ago I decided to create a
thankfulness jar. It was nothing spectacular, just an old glass jar I had lying
around that I decided to fill with notes of thankfulness. Each night before
going to bed I would write down the various things, big or small, that I had to
be thankful for throughout the day. I would then fold up the paper, slip it
into the jar, and go to sleep with thoughts of thankfulness on my mind.
Did
it change my life?
I’m
not sure I can say that it did, but it certainly changed my perspective and
helped to cultivate a spirit of contentment and thankfulness within me. It
helped to draw my focus away from life’s disappointments and towards the things
I might have otherwise taken for granted.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer has
been quoted saying, "In ordinary life we hardly realize that we receive a
great deal more than we give, and it is only with gratitude that life
becomes rich."
In order to embrace the perspective that our lives are truly “rich,” we need
to incorporate gratitude into the most ordinary of days. There
is no right or wrong way to practice thankfulness but sometimes having a
specific way that it becomes part of your routine is helpful.
Here
are some practical ideas…
- Thankfulness Journal/Letters
- Jar of Thanks (Make it your own!)
- Thankfulness Board (Post-it Notes or 3x5 Cards on a bulletin board)
- Take pictures throughout your day of things you're thankful for. Save it on your computer for a later project or print and display them as daily reminders.
Taking time to be thankful for the things you’ve
been given only seems to multiply the
blessings. Why not give it a try?
What are you thankful for?
