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3 Ways to Cultivate Thankfulness After Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is one of my favourite holidays. There is something special about getting together with family and friends over a feast, and just reflecting on what you have to be thankful for. It’s a tradition that many families share, going around the table one by one and sharing what you are grateful for. This year I shared how I was thankful to be just where I’m at. This was tough for me, given my entire life has felt like a race to get to my next step – always somewhere to be. But I’m thankful that pressure has really subsided and I can be present with where I’m at. So going forward this coming year, how can we continue to intentionally cultivate thankfulness in our daily life?
1) It Starts With You
Throughout the day to day, it’s so easy to go through the motions and routine. Your spouse cooks dinner, you eat it. Your kids help with dishes and chores. These things become routine, but a lot of them are routine because they HAVE to happen. Of course you want your kids to help with chores – it’s life! However, if we want to cultivate that culture of thankfulness in our household, it starts with us. Thank your kids when they help with dishes. Tell your spouse that you appreciate the amazing meal. Be the one in your home that adds gratitude into the routine.
2) Gratitude for the Small Blessings
Why do we only intentionally talk about what we are thankful for once a year? Life is full of blessings, many that are overlooked. You don’t have to do it every day, but pick one night a week where you go around the dinner table to talk about the little blessings you saw in your life throughout that week. Maybe it’s reconnecting with an old friend, or having some time quality time with one of your children. The small blessings are the ones that can really make life beautiful, and having a larger reflection on those things can lead us to being more present on the daily to stop and smell the flowers.
3) Give Others Something to be Thankful For
All this reflection gives us a more conscious reminder of what we have, and when we have we can give. Donate to causes you care about, volunteer, have someone over for dinner, or pay for the stranger’s order in the drive thru behind you. Research shows that performing kind acts can make us happier, but more importantly we are giving others something to be thankful for. We are adding back into that culture of thankfulness that we want to cultivate.

By Ashlyn Stanley
Social Media, Promotions, Announcer

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