13 Ways To Practice Gratitude This Holiday Season | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Relationships

13 Ways To Practice Gratitude This Holiday Season

Its the most wonderful time of the year [to take care of your mental health]

8
13 Ways To Practice Gratitude This Holiday Season
Pexels

While some people are ready to deck the halls and hang their stockings the minute the clock strikes November first, others experience feelings of bah-humbug, dreading the onslaught of turkey and tinsel.The holiday season comes with a whole heavenly host of anxiety-causing factors: stress from excess time with family members, stress over making ends meet, and stress over "problematic" eating and weight gain. In the midst of the red and green marketing madness, it can be extremely calming to scale back the materialism and practice gratitude.

1. Express sincere gratitude to someone – this could be someone who has given you a gift or a friend that gave you advice you didn't know you needed to hear. Gratitude is an attitude, foster it by encouraging it.

2. Volunteer to help someone at work or at school – “helping” can take many forms but think outside the box and outside the workplace.

3. Volunteer at a community organization – discover the needs of others in your community and put your talents and skills to work.

4. Read a fun book – relax and lose yourself in a good book. Finish the book and journal about how it made you feel or talk to a friend about the outcome.

5. Engage in quiet relaxation or reflection. Do yoga, meditate, or watch the leaves fall from the trees outside. Taking 10 minutes of quiet time each day to appreciate the little things inevitably helps you appreciate the big things (family, health, safety) so much more.

6. Contact a long-distance friend or family member you won't see this holiday season and stay in touch with those that matter most. We often like to complain that the phone works both ways. Abandon this mindset and concentrate on being the friend that reaches out first from a place of love, without bitterness. Sometimes the people we love just need a little push and a little extra attention but aren't willing to ask for it.

7. Sign up for a class or a workshop that you have always wanted to do or learn about – get curious and look up free conferences or online tutorials that are relevant to your line of work. Learn, grow and stretch your mind.

8. Read a self-help book or a motivational book in a field you are involved in or interested in.

9. Plan a fun activity for yourself or a group of friends. Get outdoors and hike, go to a winery or go on a mission to find the best donut shops in your area.

10. Eat something you've really been craving and savor every bite. Have a love affair with your food and respect your body's ability to tell you what its craving and when its had enough. Our bodies are smarter than we think.

11. Spend time giving full attention to a child, family member, friend, or co-worker – Give 10 minutes of undivided attention to someone and really listen to everything they say.

12. Compliment someone every day. One of my secret challenges to myself in college was to give a genuine compliment to a stranger or friend daily. Seeing the surprise and pleasure on someone's face who's just been complimented is one of my favorite guilty pleasures.

13. Throw some spare change into a Salvation Army bucket, even if you only have five pennies and a nickel. Coins that are weighing heavy in your pockets could lighten someone else's load this holiday season.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

These powerful lyrics remind us how much good is inside each of us and that sometimes we are too blinded by our imperfections to see the other side of the coin, to see all of that good.

69428
Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

The song was sent to me late in the middle of the night. I was still awake enough to plug in my headphones and listen to it immediately. I always did this when my best friend sent me songs, never wasting a moment. She had sent a message with this one too, telling me it reminded her so much of both of us and what we have each been through in the past couple of months.

Keep Reading...Show less
Zodiac wheel with signs and symbols surrounding a central sun against a starry sky.

What's your sign? It's one of the first questions some of us are asked when approached by someone in a bar, at a party or even when having lunch with some of our friends. Astrology, for centuries, has been one of the largest phenomenons out there. There's a reason why many magazines and newspapers have a horoscope page, and there's also a reason why almost every bookstore or library has a section dedicated completely to astrology. Many of us could just be curious about why some of us act differently than others and whom we will get along with best, and others may just want to see if their sign does, in fact, match their personality.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

20 Song Lyrics To Put A Spring Into Your Instagram Captions

"On an island in the sun, We'll be playing and having fun"

3491
Person in front of neon musical instruments; glowing red and white lights.
Photo by Spencer Imbrock on Unsplash

Whenever I post a picture to Instagram, it takes me so long to come up with a caption. I want to be funny, clever, cute and direct all at the same time. It can be frustrating! So I just look for some online. I really like to find a song lyric that goes with my picture, I just feel like it gives the picture a certain vibe.

Here's a list of song lyrics that can go with any picture you want to post!

Keep Reading...Show less
Chalk drawing of scales weighing "good" and "bad" on a blackboard.
WP content

Being a good person does not depend on your religion or status in life, your race or skin color, political views or culture. It depends on how good you treat others.

We are all born to do something great. Whether that be to grow up and become a doctor and save the lives of thousands of people, run a marathon, win the Noble Peace Prize, or be the greatest mother or father for your own future children one day. Regardless, we are all born with a purpose. But in between birth and death lies a path that life paves for us; a path that we must fill with something that gives our lives meaning.

Keep Reading...Show less
Health and Wellness

10 Hygiene Tips For All College Athletes

College athletes, it's time we talk about sports hygiene.

7602
Woman doing pull-ups on bars with sun shining behind her.

I got a request to talk about college athletes hygiene so here it is.

College athletes, I get it, you are busy! From class, to morning workouts, to study table, to practice, and more. But that does not excuse the fact that your hygiene comes first! Here are some tips when it comes to taking care of your self.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments