“Give thanks to the Lᴏʀᴅ, for He is Good! His faithful love endures forever.” Psalm 107:1 NLT
Though these past several months have been tough for all of us, I want to give you a dose of hope and a tool that might help lighten your load.
Thanksgiving is just around the corner. For many of us, it will be the first time in a couple of years we’ll be gathering to celebrate with friends and family. Which can be a huge relief and joy—but let’s face it, can also come with its own set of stressors and challenges. In this post, I want to share five ways you can use an attitude of gratitude and thankfulness throughout this season to power up your celebration.
WARNING! This process is so simple it’s easy to miss it entirely, particularly if you’re feeling overwhelmed. It’s as old as humanity and, yes, as fresh as the morning sun.
Choosing an attitude of thankfulness is an easy and free way to boost your happiness, increase the good chemicals in your body, refresh your relationships, and enhance your hope.
Gratitude is the thankful appreciation of things received, whether tangible or intangible. It helps you and me connect with something outside of ourselves, often transcendent and more extensive than we are. Being grateful for people and other blessings not only makes me thankful, but it also helps rewire my brain to be more optimistic.
Expressing gratitude is probably the most effective way to push fear, anxiety, and sadness out of your mind and replace it with good things.
Here are nine benefits of actively expressing gratitude.
- Thankfulness will boost your immune system helping your body fight off infection.
- Gratitude significantly lowers your risk of causing or amplifying mental health issues.
- A thankful attitude strengthens you when you are under stress.
- A grateful heart develops your personal resilience and helps you flourish when others fail.
- Gratefulness strengthens social bonds.
- Extending grace to others makes you more likeable.
- Living a life of gratitude helps you sleep better.
- Having an attitude of gratitude amplifies positive self-esteem.
- Gratitude elevates your spiritual insights.
Next week, the week of Thanksgiving I will give you five-proven gratitude practices you can use to make this Thanksgiving extra special.
Here is an ancient thought that is as practical as it was the day it was written nearly 2,000 years ago.
Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Action Plan;
Did you know that I am a WorkLife Consultant and therapist? My passion is to help people live a more intentional, resilient life by using proven, faith-friendly principles.
I do offer a free consultation. If you are interested email me john@johnthurman.info or call and leave me a voicemail on my confidential voicemail 505-343-2011.
Check these links out:
Giving Thanks Can Make You Happier