So, how do you give thanks at Thanksgiving? Do you say your bi-annual prayer and start shoveling or do you really stop to think about all the things there are to be grateful for? It’s easy to be thankful for your job or the fact that you have a place to live or your children or spouse. One of the Happiness Habits suggested by Sonja Lyubomirsky is expressing gratitude. Last year, we started a new tradition at my house. We wrote down anything and everything we could think of to be grateful for. The criteria was that if it was anything that you would be mad, sad or disappointed that you DIDN’T have it tomorrow, then it belonged on the list. Think about it. When is the last time you really appreciated your elbow. But if tomorrow morning you woke up and it wasn’t there anymore, you would probably be very upset (and considerably bewildered, I’m sure). Why do we only appreciate things once they are gone? I say, let us be thankful for them TODAY – and what better day to do that than Thanksgiving? Enjoy your elbows and your turkey (not necessarily in that order)
~Frank