Henry David Thoreau said, “I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual.” I like the thought. That Thanksgiving is ongoing, not something we celebrate only once a year.
Compared to Christmas and Halloween, Thanksgiving gets looked over like the canned cranberry sauce on the dinner table. It’s the stepchild of the holiday season.
Beyond the material world and consumerism, Thanksgiving is indeed a special holiday. In fact, thankfulness can be celebrated each and every day, not just on Thanksgiving. Here are five easy ways to infuse everyday gratitude…
#1: KEEP A GRATITUDE JOURNAL
Research by UC Davis psychologist Robert Emmons, author of Thanks!: How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier, shows that keeping a gratitude journal— regularly writing brief reflections on moments for which we’re thankful— can significantly increase well-being and life satisfaction. As Forbes reports, studies have even found that keeping a gratitude journal may help improve sleep.
When writing your reflections, it’s important to be specific. This way, as you go about your day, you focus your attention on your blessings. This forces you into a positive state of mind.
#2: BE MINDFUL OF YOUR LANGUAGE
Words are energy. Be mindful of the language you choose to use. Speak positive words that focus on blessings, fortune, and abundance. Speak as if you already have whatever it is you seek.
Here are several Louise Hay affirmations you can try:
- “I prosper wherever I turn.”
- “I have unlimited choices. Opportunities are everywhere.”
- “Life supplies all my needs in great abundance. I trust Life.”
#3: KEEP A GRATITUDE JAR
Write what you are grateful for down on a piece of paper. Be specific. Add the blessing to the jar. On New Year’s Eve, empty the jar and review what you’ve written.
#4: WHEN YOU WAKE UP
In the morning, before donning off the covers, take a moment to express gratitude. I say, “Thank you, God (Universe, Source, All That Is, Creator, whatever you call it) that I’m alive, still here, and still breathing. Thank you for this day.”
Waking up in gratitude sets a positive tone for your day and a sense of well-being.
#5: AT DINNER
When we sit down to eat dinner together as a family, each of us takes a turn and shares three things we are grateful for that happened that day. It sparks wonderful conversation and focuses our energy on the positive.
I love the idea of perpetual Thanksgiving because when we live in a thankful state, we are continually reminded of the positive. Actress Chrissy Metz from the hit television show, This Is Us said, “There is something that happens when you are grateful: You continue to receive blessings. So I will always be grateful.”
Now that’s something to be grateful for: an abundance of blessings.
QUESTION: How do you practice gratitude? Share in the comments below.
Italia Oliver M.S. Ed., lovingly channels messages from Spirit to provide you guidance and clarity, and helps you connect with crossed-over loved ones. She’s an Intuitive Medium, Voice Channeler, Spiritual Advisor/Teacher, and Certified Angel Card Reader.
Her life changed when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was during the healing process that she began receiving messages from the angels. As a child, she experienced psychic phenomena and off-world visitations.
Italia offers Readings in Soul Guidance, Mediumship, Tarot, Angel/Oracle Cards, Romance/Relationships, Life Purpose/Career, Past Lives, Starseed Origins, Auras & Chakras, Ancestral Healing, Astrology & Moon Cycles, and Your Angels & Spirit Guides. Along with Readings, she also offers classes, courses, and private One-to-One Intuitive & Mediumship Development Mentoring Sessions.
Click HERE to learn more. She’s excited to work with you!
Email: italia@italiaoliver.com/ (562)331-4845
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