The holiday season is upon us once again. I love this time of year! The weather, here in Texas, has finally begun to cool off and there is a crispness in the air. Holiday decorations are going up everywhere. The kitchen at our house has gotten very busy with preparations for the big meal tomorrow and everything smells so good! There is SO much to be Up and thankful for.
It is during this time of year where we find ourselves reflecting on all those things for which we are thankful. Cognitive science has shown that the simple act of reflecting on the things for which we are thankful and those things which bring us joy results in a positive impact to our emotional state. In other words, acknowledging our blessings helps us to a state of being Up or Getting Up (But Never Down!)
Acknowledging what you are thankful for is not easy for everyone. If you know someone that has difficulty expressing gratitude, it doesn’t mean that they are not thankful for many things in their life, but the act of expressing that emotion doesn’t come easy for some. For others, a little prompting around those things that bring us joy can be helpful. Below, I have a starter set of prompts to get the thankfulness juices flowing. If you have a hard time verbally expressing your feelings in this area, simply write them down and you will still get the emotional lift from this exercise. I have included my own responses with each prompt.
- At least 3 family members for which I am thankful:
- Sheryl
- Natasha
- Angela
- Jenna
2. At least 3 friends for which I am thankful:
- John and Betty
- Tom and Monica
- Phil and Kathi
- Carlos and Rosa
3. At least 3 things in nature for which I am thankful:
- Dogs, especially Border Collies!
- The sounds the ocean makes
- Watching squirrels play
4. At least 3 memories for which I am thankful:
- Watching Sheryl come down the aisle on our wedding day
- Watching my daughters being born
- All of my cruises with Sheryl
5. At least 3 aspects of my life for which I am thankful:
- The love of my family
- My health
- My friends that inspire me to be a better person
6. At least 3 organizations for which I am thankful:
- Border Collie Rescue & Rehab of Texas
- Susan G. Komen
- JDRF
- American Heart Association
7. At least 3 of my talents for which I am thankful:
- Being able to speak in front of an audience (and hopefully inspire them)
- Ability to cook
- Ability to work with and train dogs
8. At least 3 events for which I am thankful:
- My wedding day
- My birthday (and I am thankful for each anniversary of that day!)
- My first trip to London with Sheryl
9. At least 3 random things for which I am thankful:
- Chick-fil-a (if you know me very well you understand this one!)
- Music
- The view of the ocean from a ship with no land in sight
10. At least 3 things that might surprise others that I am thankful:
- People who have a different opinion than I and can respectfully present their view (they help me expand my comfort zone)
- Thunderstorms (while I am not thankful for the destruction than can ensue, I am awed by the display of power in nature and I am thankful for the rain)
- The times I lost my job in the past (looking back, in every case, something better showed up)
There you go! This list includes over 30 things to be thankful for and it is just the tip of the iceberg. I haven’t even mentioned all of the travel that I have done, the experiences that I have enjoyed, or all the amazing people I have met in my life’s journey. Once you get started with a spirit of gratitude, it is easy to keep going!
Finally, I am thankful for each of you that are reading this article. You just gave me a piece of your life and the most valuable commodity to give someone is some of your time. My hope is that you found this time beneficial and that I have added to your life of being Up or Getting Up (But Never Down) in some way. If I have, I am thankful!
If there are things in your life that you are thankful for and would like to share them, please leave a comment below.
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