10 Reasons to Share Your
Thanks over Thanksgiving Dinner
This year, instead of spending time worrying about the
upcoming family brawl, the afternoon football games, or arguing about who had
the best float at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, consider starting a new
Thanksgiving tradition. Whether you are
dining at home with your family of four, enjoying an enormous potluck with 42
relatives at the neighborhood church, or simply having a solitary meal on this
day, consider taking a moment to contemplate the good things in life for which
you are thankful. And then say them out
loud.
Here are 10 reasons to share what you’re thankful for over
Thanksgiving dinner:
1. It’s THANKSgiving. Yes, I know the holiday is supposed to be
about some pilgrims and stuff, but the reality is, sometimes we need to be
reminded to be thankful for what we have.
And if anyone needs a reminder to do it, this is the day!
2. Make it more than
just about the food. I love to eat
as much as the next person, but it can be uncomfortable for some people when a
holiday is so focused on food, particularly if they are on any kind of a
restricted diet. It’s nice to have
something to look forward to other than just the turkey.
3. Practice makes
perfect. Saying thank you takes
practice. Sometimes a LOT of practice. Thanksgiving is a great opportunity to
practice being appreciative of the things we have. And maybe, just maybe, it will help us
remember to say thank you during the rest of the year.
4. Focus on the positive.
It’s easy to get bogged down with the negativity of life. Spending too much energy worrying about the
bad stuff happening, either in our small world or in the larger world around
us, is a real downer. Too often, we get
sucked into focusing on disappointments and anger and fear, and we forget to
appreciate the love and laughter and security we have. Saying what we are thankful for out loud
helps to refocus our energy on the positive in our life instead of the bad. Remember the phrase “What you focus on
expands”.
5. Don’t take the little
things for granted. Wow, can you
believe how much we take for granted in society today? We have a roof over our heads, clothing to
wear, food to eat, clean water to drink, and so much more! Sometimes we forget that there are many
people in other parts of the world who have none of those things. We expect to have those things; it’s not even
a question. Giving ourselves a moment to
stop and think about what we are thankful for might just remind us to
appreciate the barest necessities of life that we do tend to take for granted.
6. Go a little deeper.
We certainly live in a ME-ME-ME world. With
the “look at me” selfies, the “look how clever I am” status updates, and the “look
how popular I am” friend lists, we tend to get (and give) instant gratification
for doing, saying or photographing something noteworthy. I love a funny meme as much as the next gal, but
when was the last time you really sat down and thought about what you find
enjoyable or entertaining? Taking a few
moments before this holiday meal to really think about what you are glad to
have in your life will take you just a few steps deeper into yourself than your
usual daily LOL or ROFLMAO.
7. Make someone else
feel good. Okay, I’m going to admit
something a bit uncomfortable here. I am
a bit of a narcissist (aren’t we all,
really?) I love being told that I’m
loved. And I love being told that
someone is grateful to have me in their life.
Taking the time to give appreciation for a person you care about is time
VERY well spent (even if it means the turkey might be getting cold).
8. Create some memories. One of my favorites was when my daughter’s pre-school
teacher told me they had asked the children what they were most thankful
for. My daughter’s response? “Mom’s homemade pizza”. The teacher thought it was funny and shared
it with me. It made my day then, and
even now it makes me smile.
9. Let those sharing this
day get to know you better. Many
people really just keep to themselves and are difficult to get to know. Using this opportunity to share something
that we are personally appreciative of allows those sharing this day get to
know us just a little bit better. And it
lets us get to know them a bit better, as well.
10. Because it feels
good! Yes, it’s true. Saying out loud what you appreciate makes you
feel GOOD. Take advantage of this once-a-year
opportunity to feed your soul, allow yourself to be surrounded by peace, and just
appreciate the poetry that IS gratitude.
