Giving Thanks
Happy Thanksgiving! I understand that the origins of this holiday may be controversial, however, I use it as a reminder to spend time being profoundly grateful. The literal translation of the name. In the spirit of this, I would like to share some ideas of how you can spend some time today giving thanks:
Say “Thank You” to some of the people that are almost “invisible” in your normal life. What do I mean by that? Some examples are the mailman, the people working in the grocery store, or your favourite coffee shop.
Reach out to a friend or family member who you haven’t spoken to in a while and let them know they are important to you.
Send a card to someone in a nursing home. A lot of older people are missing the interaction, especially during these times. By reaching out you are sure to put a smile on their face. Reach out to your local nursing home and ensure that they are able to receive such notes. Many of them love them and some even have programs in place to facilitate them.
Sign up to be a mentor to a young person or newcomer. You have so much to offer in this world. And what better way to say “thank you” to the people who have influenced you than to be that person to someone else. Perhaps there is a person in your life that could use the guidance, or look into Big Brothers Big Sisters, your local Children’s Aid Society or Newcomer centre to see what programs they have in place.
And finally….
Write a thank you letter to yourself. Yes, you read that right. This is something I plan on spending some time today doing. As some of you know I have written several letters to myself in the past few months, but today I want to focus on gratitude.
Here are a few suggestions on how you could choose to do this. Write a thank-you note to:
Appreciate the experiences that have had that have led you to where you are right now
A part of yourself that you sometimes feels hinder you (eg my anger, my anxiety)
Your Inner Child
Your Protector Side
Yourself but from an older version of yourself, looking back in appreciation of how far you have come
Did you try any of these ideas? I would love to know how it felt and what you got from it. Please leave a comment!
Happy Thanksgiving!