Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving!!!
Thanksgiving means a variety of different things to me- being thankful, prayer, joy, food..well mainly the food. One thing I love doing, and this might ring a similar bell to my New Years post about ending my blog, is that I love writing lists. Gratitude lists.
As cliche as you might think this is, I find it a great exercise to keep my heart and mind in check and it helps me take the time to sit back and really be thankful for what I have, and less on what I want. See, I have a tendency to crave things I don’t have and forget to appreciate the things I do- and I’m sure I’m not alone in this, right guys?
My first Gratitude List, I didn’t really know how or what to start with. I’m thankful for.. umm? Why is it so easy to think of all the things going wrong and forgetting the GREAT THINGS. Yea so I just started writing and voila I had my list. So here are some steps that you can use when writing your own Gratitude List and to make sure that it’s less of something you have to do, but more of something you want to do. Because really, the trick is, when you want to write this Gratitude List, it actually does increase your happiness level!
Step 1
The Little Things are the Big Things.
It’s the ‘smallest’ things that we take for granted the most. Like, I’m thankful I’m..well alive and healthy. I’m thankful for my home, my family. I’m thankful I have Reese’s pieces in my hand bag.. y’know, those things.
What you’ll find is that when you start small, the bigger things seem so much bigger and the smaller things, less small.
Step 2
Be creative
Who says you have to write your Gratitude List? Why not DRAW IT, or in my case, make a VIDEO? Whatever medium that best expresses your gratitude, well do just that! But no, I didn’t make a video- darn.
Step 3
Say it out LOUD
Well, don’t scream it. There’s something powerful about verbalizing what you write or what you think, it almost solidifies the thought. It’s also great to hear it out loud.
I’M THANKFUL FOR FRIED CHICKEN!!
Step 4
Think not only about WHAT but also WHY you feel grateful
Often times, I find myself writing the Gratitude List but not really thinking about the WHY. Why am I thankful for fried chicken?
When you think about the whys, it makes it that much more meaningful to write the list
There you go! Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving guys! COMMENT below and let me know something you’re grateful for- I’m grateful for all of you!!!