It's November, Halloween is over, and some of the best holidays are ahead of us: Thanksgiving and Christmas. The one problem I have with Thanksgiving is that it seems that people focus on what we are thankful just for during the month of November and around this holiday. I understand that this holiday brings to the forefront the idea of being #blessed and #thankful for everything that is given to us, but what if we do something crazy? What if we always put who and what we're thankful for at the forefront of our minds every day, not just on the day we eat a week's worth of calories in one sitting?
Why is it important to be thankful every day? In a world with so much anger, sadness, and negative things occurring, it is so important to our emotional health we try to find the best things. Even with all of the negative events that happen, there is good in the world. The good may be hard to see sometimes. Taking the time out of your day to realize the parts in your life you are thankful no matter how big or small can ignite a positive light within you. In turn, this positivity can extend to others, and create a domino effect of thankfulness.
How can you implement this idea of being thankful every day? Whenever you are talking to someone at the end of your day, ask this person a very simple question, "What has been your favorite thing that has happened to you today?" This listening ear can be your family, a significant other, roommates, your dog, or anyone that you can have social interaction with. One very simple question can open the door to meaningful conversations. Reflecting back on your day to your best moment makes you realize that even on the worst of days, there is a glimmer of hope. Having conversations like this can make you find out more about a person. You can find out more about yourself too. You can have this conversation with a big group of people or just one person, and if you don't have anyone around you? Grab a journal to self-reflect on your day.
Do you always get what you want? No. Are our lives perfect? Heck no. Is every event in your life something you are eternally grateful for? Probably not. Being thankful for what you have or maybe even what you don't have is just realizing that no matter what is going on, you have something or someone who makes life worth it. This mindset can bring a little bit of brightness in the dark moment in your life.
So this Thanksgiving, gobble till you wobble. Watch the football game. Take a five-hour nap. Do whatever traditions you usually do on the fourth Thursday of November, but create a new tradition for the rest of your year. I challenge you, whoever you are no matter where you are or when you are reading this, to start being thankful for every day. Find the best thing in everyone's life, including your own, and being thankful for every day can become easy. Being grateful will never be overrated.
