I have a few friends who post daily gratitudes on Facebook for the month of November. Even though I was not the one being thanked or the one doing the thanking, when I read these posts my spirit lifted and I felt more cheerful. Gratitude is powerful. Simply being around people with a grateful spirit affects us. We have much to gain by developing this habitual attitude
Thankfulness is simple. We are often stressed and distracted, however, with accumulating pressures. As we live in this complex world this attitude is often lost in the daily jumbles of life. While gratefulness is simple it’s not necessarily easy. Developing a grateful attitude, according to a growing body of research on this topic, shows many physical and psychosocial benefits. Expressing gratitude it is a powerful energizer, reduces depression, and fosters healing in your life. These are handsome dividends worth the effort.
Harvard Health Publications, from the Harvard Medical School, reports research on gratitude that indicates people who feel and express gratitude are more likely to have stronger relationships, have a greater sense of connection, and when the need arises, it even fosters healthier confrontations.
November, which naturally brings thankfulness to mind, is quickly fading, but you can continue to nurture this gratitude lifestyle, with its voluminous benefits, as you celebrate Christmas this year. Yes, it’s easy enough to thank someone for a gift they’ve shared. And you’ll, likely, be doing your fair share of that in this upcoming month of December. However, what about creating a mindset of gratitude? In creating this thankful lifestyle you’ll have nothing to lose, but will have monumental gains.
Bridge your way into a thankful Christmas season by trying a few of the following ideas. I assure you these affordable gifts, wrapped in golden ribbons of gratitude, will keep on giving both to you and others. They will reflect the healing, energizing, and transforming essence of Jesus, the Light of the world.
- make a list of several things you appreciate about the individual and tuck the list in with the gift
- use words, or simple pictures, to express appreciation for the person and decorate the otherwise plain wrapping paper
- add a thoughtful note of gratefulness, for one or two people, in their Christmas card
- create a video telling your loved ones why you are thankful for them
- use these ideas as springboards to come up with your own fun creative thankful expressions
