Fostering a Thankful Outlook: An Attitude of Gratitude
Today is Thanksgiving, and right in the name, it says, today we’ll be giving Thanks. Sometimes, in the hustle and bustle of the holiday, cooking the turkey and making sure that the gluten-free stuffing isn’t contaminated with grandma’s favorite gluten-full gravy—we may forget. If you’re stressed around the holidays, like today, that’s perfectly normal.
What can we do to practice gratitude and give thanks while we’re stressed and obsessed about food today? Experts have several tips for how to practice gratitude and thankfulness.
Give thanks out loud. Giving thanks for things is a completely free way of boosting your thankfulness and your spirit.
Write down your thanks. A gratitude journal allows you to reflect on past gratitude, and forces you to find moments of gratitude, even in particularly tough times.
Share your thanks. Express your gratitude to everyone – and actually say it! Speaking it out loud can make it seem more real!
Meditate. The practice of mindfulness and focusing on the present moment can help you shake the small stuff and focus on what’s important right now, and what you’re thankful for in that moment.
Plan to be thankful. Make a pact with yourself that you’ll find a moment of gratitude each day. Maybe it’s at night before you go to bed, or writing in a journal every morning, but making a habit of practicing gratitude will turn it into second nature.
Challenge yourself to flip the script. Always find a way to make or find a silver lining in a situation.
Get inspired by the good in the world. Read websites or blogs or listen to podcasts that focus on feel-good stories that uplift the reader.
This post is inspired by Reader’s Digest article “7 Simple Ways to Practice Gratitude in Your Everyday Life” by Charlotte Andersen.