This time of year, the level of anxiety and overwhelm creeps up like no other. And why not? Your favorite retailers are already chock-full of reds, golds, blinking lights, and winking Santas. Calendars are filling up with endless engagements and holiday must-dos, not to mention your to-do list is bursting at the seams.
When your to-dos become must-dos-or-else, it is easy to see how life flies on by and the practice of counting blessings gets forgotten. But the more gratitude you express, the stronger it grows in you – changing your perspective to one that seeks out the good and finds it in everyday life. The real trick is to slow down just enough to experience the moments.
Here is a gratitude list to help you keep the spirit of Thanksgiving alive and well in the weeks to come.
1. Having a roof over your head and a well-stocked refrigerator. It is easy to take for granted life’s basic necessities or envy those who have more than you, but be thankful if you are not cold, hungry, and homeless.
2. Feeling closer to faraway loved ones by having real-time video chats on Skype and FaceTime.
3. Having access to the great outdoors and nature to renew and uplift your spirit — free of charge and available year-round.
4. Having a family to come home to. No matter how wacky or dysfunctional they may seem to you at times, your loved ones will always have your back.
5. Having faith, hope, and love. They are free, irreplaceable, and the only things that last a lifetime.
6. Having friends who feel more like sisters (or brothers).
7. Having lots of Thanksgiving leftovers to fuel your body through those Black Friday and Cyber Monday holiday sales.
8. Having a healthy body and mind free of illness and disease.
9. Online shopping anytime on eBay and Etsy for unique gifts from the comfort of your home.
10. Watching a chickadee savor that birdseed- and peanut butter-covered pinecone you hung from a tree branch in your yard.
11. Capturing special moments on your smartphone anytime you want. A few centuries ago, only the wealthy could afford family portraits.
12. Men who are learning how to share their feelings, co-parent, and separate the laundry.
13. Making a difference in someone’s life via microfinance websites like www.kiva.org, for little money upfront.
14. Brightening the holidays for needy kids by donating toys to the Toys for Tots program (www.toysfortots.org) or the Salvation Army.
15. Same-day shipping. No time wasted standing in line or fighting traffic.
Image credit: Keith Syvinski
Connect With Me!