How Giving Thanks Makes You Happier

When Thanksgiving comes around each year, I imagine awaking to the mouth-watering aroma of turkey cooking. After rolling out of bed, I'll meander out to the television to watch the parade, passing time until guests start to arrive. But each and every year, the ambient chatter of friends and family provides me with a comfortable sense of familiarity.

Whatever the holiday means to you, the most important part of the holiday is in the name: giving thanks. Oftentimes, we completely neglect to acknowledge the reason we gather together at all. Yes, the gourmet meal is one incentive, but the people with whom we spend Thanksgiving are what matter most. It is a celebration of everything we are fortunate enough to have – from the clothes on our backs to grandma's apple pie!

And according to recent findings, gratitude has a consistency with better mood, and enhanced mental and physical well-being. Considering everything with which you've been gifted is an eye-opening experience. Counting your blessings, writing letters of gratitude, and doing good deeds all have the potential to improve your state of mind!

Now, I realize that the phrase 'count your blessings' has a religious connotation. But to be quite honest, you don't have to be religious to do so! It's beneficial for everyone. Perspective is influential, and comparing your own life to that of someone less fortunate makes your problems seem insignificant. A blessing may be something you take for granted on a daily basis, like food, water, and shelter – even the most basic needs shouldn't go unappreciated.

With that said, I suggest that this Thanksgiving, you take up the task of counting your own blessings. Maybe write a letter or two expressing gratitude to loved ones, or offer to assist in cooking Thanksgiving dinner. Be completely present, and let go of any trivial preoccupations, if even just for a day.

Forget about splitting the wishbone. Rather than wishing for something you don't have, instead give thanks for what you already have.