Becca Anderson author of Every Day Thankful has written a new blog post on the importance of always maintaining an attitude of gratitude and being thankful for what you have.
- Be grateful and recognize the things others have done to help you.
- When you say “Thank you” to someone, it signals what you appreciate and why you appreciate it.
- Post a “Thank you to all” on your Facebook page or your blog, or send individual emails to friends, family, and colleagues.
- Send a handwritten thank-you note. These are noteworthy because so few of us take time to write and mail them in our modern age.
- Think thoughts of gratitude—two or three good things that happened today—and notice how calm settles through your head, at least for a moment. It activates a part of the brain that floods the body with endorphins, or feel-good hormones.
- Remember the ways your life has been made easier or better because of others’ efforts. Be aware of and acknowledge the good things, large and small, going on around you.
- Keep a gratitude journal, or set aside time each day or evening to list the people or things you’re grateful for today. The list may start out short, but it will grow as you notice more of the good things around you.
- Being grateful shakes you out of self-absorption and helps you recognize those who’ve done wonderful things for you. Expressing that gratitude continues to draw those people into your sphere.
- Remember this thought from Maya Angelou: “When you learn, teach; when you get, give.”
- Join forces to do good. If you have survived illness or loss, you may want to reach out to others to help as a way of showing gratitude for those who reached out to you.
every day thankful
365 Blessings, Graces and Gratitudes (Alcoholics Anonymous, Daily Reflections, Christian Devotional, Gratitude, Blessings, Acts of Kindness)
Relationship prayers: This lovely book, Every Day Thankful: 365 Blessing, Graces and Gratitudes, can be used as a book of graces to share over the evening meal, as a hostess gift or for daily reflection. Sharing gratitude is one of the most powerful ways to create close relationships. By praying together at the daily meal with these gratitudes, you have a happier family and become bonded together by blessings. Add the joy of living in thankfulness by incorporating daily reflections and inspirational prayers into your plan for each day.
Prayers before meals: In today’s frenetic world, the common experience of sharing the evening meal can restore a sense of community and humanity to society. More important, the blessing of the meal fosters in us a sense of gratitude for the gifts we have been given. This collection of 365 blessings-ranging from the words of Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh and Abraham Lincoln to Maya Angelou and Oprah will bring joy to the shared experience of breaking bread.