It’s crazy that as soon as Halloween is over, out come all the Christmas decorations, commercials, music, you name it! Some people fully embrace it, while others turn into the Grinch. Now, I’m all about Christmas (it is after all one of my favorite holidays) but it upsets me that we seem to totally forget/skip over a very important holiday- Thanksgiving! Instead of rushing around and freaking out about Christmas gifts and holiday plans, we should really be taking this month to focus on what we are thankful for. What we are grateful for as the year comes to an end. That’s what Thanksgiving is really all about (plus, food, of course). So before you get yourself all up in a frenzy over the upcoming holiday season, take a moment today to reflect on your life and what you are truly grateful for. Sure, we may not have it all, but we all certainly have things to be thankful for. Learn to appreciate the little things (and the big things!) and try to spend the next couple of weeks in this mindset. Here’s a short list of some things you can do to help you get started.
1. Send out snail mail to loved ones - How often do you still send out letters or greeting cards “just for fun”? Just to let someone know you miss them or how much they mean to you? This is a perfect way to put a smile on someone’s face and I guarantee it will make you feel better, too.
2. Make a list of five things you are grateful happened to you this year - This one can be super easy or if you really want to dig into it, super hard. Instead of thinking of the ordinary “happy” moments that happened to you, think of the hard moments. The heart wrenching ones. Then think about how they changed you and what you got out of it. Even in our darkest moments, there is always some light to be shed. There is always a lesson to learn. Try and come up with a list and when you’re done maybe you’ll realize that those difficult moments held something positive in them.
3. Go on a nature walk alone - Usually our most profound moments of thinking happen when we’re by ourselves. Even better, when you’re surrounded by the beauty and stillness of nature, it’s even easier to remind yourself of all that is good. Nature has a way of bringing out these thoughts.
4. Go through old photo albums - While yes, this has the potential of making you sad, at least you have a reason to be sad. That means in your lifetime you made memories that were worth remembering, worth missing and worth reminiscing. They can also make you smile or laugh as you remember those moments. They can make you appreciate so much. They will also make you stop and realize that life moves pretty fast if you don’t stop and look around every once in awhile and hopefully this holiday season you will slow down and take the time to make new memories with family and friends.
5. Call someone you haven’t in awhile - It can be a long lost friend, your grandma you never speak to anymore (shame on you!), someone whose been super busy and so have you so you guys haven’t had the chance to talk, etc. Just call someone to catch up with them, see how they are doing, talk about life, anything really. It’s so easy to disconnect from people nowadays. We all get busy, but you need to remember that life is short. Don’t lose touch with your loved ones. A quick phone call can become the highlight of someone’s day, maybe even yours.
What else have you done to help you realize all you have to be grateful for?
And now it's your turn! Link up your Friday Five post below and be sure to hop around and visit a few others on the link up!
Love this list, especially the nature walk alone one. We have a great park near our house that I have yet to totally explore, I should get that in before winter totally takes over!
ReplyDelete-Chelsea
chelsandthecity.blogspot.com
That cuts it, I'm sending out holiday cards this year.
ReplyDelete