Grateful....for Gratitude!
Are you ready for a plate full of turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy? I am!
I love Thanksgiving. Yes, part of the reason I love this holiday is the delicious food associated with it. Fact.
Another reason I love this holiday is because it’s been the source of so many memories in my life. I’ve got a bag full of T-give Tales!
In the book “The Power of Moments”, authors Chip and Dan Heath explain how specific moments can shape our lives, and how we have the power to create them ourselves. We don’t have to wait for defining moments to happen to us – we can design meaningful and memorable experiences on our own. And boy, do I have some memorable Thanksgiving moments! Among the highlights are the stories of epic Thanksgiving wrestling matches, “weigh ins” and sizzling bangs from leaning too far in when roasting chestnuts over candles (yup, that happened…)
The Thanksgiving holiday shows up automatically on my calendar. It’s a programmed reminder for me to be grateful. Plus, it’s an established opportunity to create memorable moments and meaningful experiences.
The power of gratitude extends well beyond Thanksgiving. Over the past year and a half, I’ve built reminders to practice gratitude in my daily life too. Thinking of 3 things I’m grateful for from the day is part of my nighttime routine. And by setting a daily alarm in my iPhone, I have set up a forced reminder.
Thinking of things I am grateful for can shift my mind in a significant way. Especially at night, my mind can be swirling with not-so-positive stuff. The stuff I didn’t do, didn’t accomplish, didn’t prioritize. My brain seems to have an uncanny way of honing in on feelings of failure, missteps and scarce opportunities at night. Not exactly supporting my overall wellness…
By taking 60 seconds to think of 3 things I am grateful for each night, I’m changing my brain’s script. I’m reframing my day and reminding myself of all I did do, the positive interactions I had with other people and the feelings of joy! And an unexpected benefit of this practice? Now I find myself noting moments during the day that I know will be part of my “3 Gratefuls” that night. The more I cultivate dazzling moments in my life and become aware of all that IS going right, the better I feel to handle the challenges of my life. Now, THAT is supporting wellness!
I’ve also noticed something else…most things that pop up on my grateful list do not require lots of money to enjoy. In fact, many of them are totally FREE. Like sunshine, catching up with an old friend, or reading a good book. Many of my favorite life memories do not involve big spending. Living a rich life is NOT all about the benjamins!
Interested in giving “3 Gratefuls” a try? Here’s what to do:
1. Set a reminder on your phone: it’s much easier for me to build a consistent routine when I have a prompt reminding me!
2. Keep it simple: 60 seconds is really all you need. You can do this exercise at home or on the go. I suggest speaking your gratefuls out loud - it’s fun to hear them in your own voice! If you want to keep a journal or a log, that’s great too!
3. Recruit your friends & family: it was a friend of mine who introduced me to “3 Gratefuls” (she’s a wise woman – coming up with 3 felt much more do-able than other gratitude practices I previously had tried!). Now, anytime I am with others and the “grateful alarm” goes off, we share with each other.
Remember, being grateful is not reserved only for Thursdays in late November (nor is swirling your mashed potato with stuffing and gravy into “Thanksgiving Soup” BTW…)
Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday – and lots of warm memory making moments!
Sheila
p.s. I’m grateful that you read my blog post!