Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday. We all gather at Grandma's house, respond to the dreaded "how's school going?" say what we're thankful for, eat, and head back home. Then the next day, it's Black Friday, and we all go out and shop.
It's nice that there is one day we've set aside to be thankful, but what would happen if we were thankful all year long?
As stressed out college students, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. In the hustle and bustle of school, work, and club events, it's hard to remember to stay positive. How can you actively be thankful for the life you have all year round?
Start simple. At the start of your day, find one thing that you're happy about, whether it's something superficial (part of positive thinking is being thankful for who you are) or something deeper. At the end of your day, remember one good event that happened.
To make this a habit, start a gratitude journal. You can make your own, or if you don't feel creative enough, you can always buy a gratitude journal. Those journals have prompts that will make you actively think about gratitude. It's easy to go through the motions of being thankful (how many of us have one answer we use every Thanksgiving when we're asked what we're thankful for?). Your mindset won't change if you're not being active about it.
Pass it on. If you're thankful for a family member or a friend, let them know. It can be for a specific reason ("Thanks for the care package, Mom") or it can be more general ("Thank you for being in my life"). Let the people in your life know how much they mean to you, because it's always nice to feel appreciated.
It's easy to get caught up in negativity. It's much harder to remain positive. Don't feel bad when you fall back into negativity, but recognize that those thoughts are not the ones you want to focus on in your life.
Thanksgiving is a fun holiday, but let's start being grateful all year long and see how it changes our lives.
