Two weeks ago we celebrated Thanksgiving in the United States.
Our Thanksgiving 2013 Dinner Table
Leading up to Thanksgiving I saw a lot of social chatter about what people were thankful for. However, the chatter has almost silenced since last Thanksgiving. I’m on a journey of living a more authentic life, which to me involves owning and taking responsibility for ALL of me…the good, bad, ugly, and indifferent. I also try to move in and with gratitude daily.
I believe more people should move in and with gratitude. Practicing gratitude allows us to focus on the good in our lives, families and communities.
Here are 4 EASY ways you can practice gratitude in your life this holiday season
1. Keep a Gratitude Journal
I write down five things a day I’m thankful for. Sometimes I capture them in a traditional bounded journal book. Some days I capture them in an app on my iPhone called Gratitude Journal. Keeping a gratitude journal is a great way to keep track of the things you’re thankful for. Today, I wrote down that I’m thankful for new opportunities, my Costco membership, Face Time conversations with my BFF, getting some great deals on a few Christmas gifts and for finding the bottom piece of my Mophie charger.
2. Tell Someone Else
Do you have a friend that’s a GREAT friend? Is there someone that always remembers to send you a birthday card? Does your neighbor always seem to have the one thing you accidentally left off of your grocery store list? When you send your holiday cards this year why not include a personal note to those special someone’s in your life letting them know how much you appreciate them and their kindness.
3. Clean out your closets, kitchen cabinets and toy chests
What better way to prepare for the gift–giving season than by getting rid of the “stuff” you no longer use? If you’re like me you may even have extra dishes, housewares, linen and clothing that you bought ON SALE and have no intention of using. Additionally, your children may have toys that they never played with or no longer play with. We all have gently used items that can bless someone else’s life
4. Volunteer at a local food bank or pack food for needy children
This is a great individual, family and/or group activity. In lieu of a holiday luncheon with your friends, why don’t you spend the time serving lunch at a local shelter? Last Christmas season I volunteered at a local food bank. Not only was it a fun experience but it nourished my spirit and reminded me of the true meaning of Christmas. Volunteer Match is a great resource for finding volunteer opportunities in your community.
Even though Thanksgiving is over, we can still practice gratitude. How do you practice gratitude beyond Thanksgiving? I love hearing from you, leave me a comment below.
Hey fellow #OWNer (Jennifer F here). What a great idea. So glad I met you all this year. I make exaggeration when I say you’ve all been such a blessing. So what am I grateful for – YOU!! *with love* – Jen
Thanks Jennifer! I’m very THANKFUL for my OWNer and OWNAmbassadors friends + FRAMILY!
Hi Jasmine, I love this, very inspiring. I practice gratitude all the time but we all do and express gratitude differently. I’m thankful for everything I encounter on a daily basis also during good times and bad times I do the same. Every step of my life is a grateful one. Believe me Jasmine, I carry the torch for my family. Sometimes I ask myself if they can carry it for me. But its not meant to be that way. So, why I say all this to you is for you to know how much I do and produce for them from my heart. I’m happy doing it and I have a lot to be thankful for. I may not say or express it like some, it’s there. just thought I’ll share that with you. Thanks for sharing yours Jas.
Xoxo!
Thank you Shelly and THANK YOU so much for the weekly inspiration pictures you share on Facebook! I always enjoy them and find them very appropriate. CARPE DIEM
Dear Jasmine,
How are you feeling today? #JoyOfBeing find you?
As a student, & practitioner of Sarah Breathnach’s #SimpleAbundance, you had me, @ Gratitude Journal…as an American of African-Ancestry, with a Pro-Sports pedigree, teaching Empathy & NVC (NonViolent Communication), with my Father (who’s LGBT), I’ve been “Living in an Attitude of Gratitude”, with the Joy of a little child, feeding a hungry duck, & here’s my Mantra:
Gratitude, is a feedback mechanism (Confirmation, that we’ve enriched someone’s LIFE, or that someone has made our Life, more Wonderful)…
When things are “Less than Wonderful”, say an “At-Least Gratitude”…
Receiving Gratitude, is just as important, as learning how to Give One…
“I’m full of Gratitude & Wisdom, & Complete with Wisdom & Gratitude”…
Gratitude, is fuel for the soul…Love is Oxygen for the soul…Psychology is, the study of the Soul…Feeling are the Language of the Soul..Faith is the mainspring of the Soul…Eyes are its Window…
Gratitude: Thanks Jas, for this post, it met my Need for Companionship, & leaves me feeling Appreciative & Joyful 😉
Love, Tony (aka @Ucla444, @Scruggzy, @SiMBaSays444)
Thanks Tony- What a GREAT mantra! CARPE DIEM!
♥…it’s Amazing, how Powerful, #RecognitionAndAcknowledgement can be! You typed 8 words, & they gifted me, with both Relief & “Peace of Mind”…my Intent, is to help people, see LIFE, through the #LensOfCompassion, & even though I can visualize “Tony: #TeachMeEmpathy”, on @OwnTV, it’s nice to be Seen & Heard, every once in a while 😉
For anyone, reading these posts, here’s a little tip, around Giving & Receiving Gratitude:
Giving ~ (1) Say what the person did, (2) How it left you feeling, & (3) What Value (Need), of yours, was honored by the persons behavior (“When you did what you did, I felt Joyful & Hopeful, as it gifted me, with Concrete direction, around Connecting with my family member”)
Receiving ~ Completing the circle of Giving (“I appreciate you saying that, I’m happy I could help”, “I’m excited, something I dd, created a little Joy, for you”, “I receive your verbal gift, with the intent it was given”, “I’m glad I could Contribute”)…make sense?
Thanks for the Exploration, Jas (sometimes 140 characters, is “Less than sufficient”) 😉
Love, SiMBa (Spirit/Mind/Body, with inspiration & abundance)
(http://youtu.be/csQAx8UcIag) 44 seconds of SiMBa, watcha think? Does my typed word, match the energy of the audio/visual?
Thank you too Jas. I’m grateful for you. Can’t wait to meet you and others!
Shelly
What a beautiful post, Jas! It is people like you, sharing things like this that changes the world for the better, forever! Keep shining, you bright star! We all appreciate you! I know I do! Blessings and best wishes to you now and always! Carpe diem! 🙂
Thank you Vida! CARPE DIEM
This was so perfectly timed for me as well, this morning, as I drove in I thought, (in a random manner, as I often do) that I am thankful I can see – have use of my eyes. I spent some time thinking about it – the words I would use to describe the visual world. Not always easy.
So, thank you for letting me share this thought – I this was the perfect reason to ‘tell somebody’.
Darcy- We really do have so much to be thankful for. There are so many things we take for granted. I treasure our friendship and truly appreciate you taking the initiative to schedule lunch, coffees or dinners so that we can connect in person. CARPE DIEM