Gratitude

Have any of you struggled, like me, to be grateful in 2020? With Thanksgiving right around the corner, the family and food-filled holidays may be a little different this year, but it’s still a great time to pause and think about all the things we have to be grateful for. Expressing gratitude may help alleviate stress, improve relationships, and enhance sleep! Here are some ways you can express gratitude around the holiday season:

• Start a gratitude journal. Try writing down 3-5 things you are grateful for at the end of the week or end of each day. Kids can participate by making drawings of what they are grateful for!
• Make a box or a jar your “gratitude box.” When something happens that you are grateful for, write it down and place it in the box. At the end of the week, take some time to read and reflect on what you are grateful for.
• Before starting in on Thanksgiving dinner, go around the table and tell everyone three things you are grateful for this year.
• Write a letter or an email to someone whom you are grateful for. Be detailed and express why this person is important to have in your life.
• Meditate. Visualize all the things in your life that you are grateful for. Remember this doesn’t need to be hours long, simply taking minutes is great!