Happy Thanksgiving!

It is my annual tradition to write about gratitude on this uniquely American holiday. Today is a time to pause, reflect, and give thanks for the things that mean the most to you. Most of you are celebrating today with friends and family which in itself is something to be grateful for!

“Wear gratitude like a cloak, and it will feed every corner of your life.”
– Rumi

The health benefits of gratitude are well documented. Expressing gratitude reduces stress, makes you calmer, and can improve your immune system. And you can do all of that today while eating and sharing with family and friends.

Gratitude can change your state in an instant. You can reverse the ill effects of a stressful moment by becoming more mindful and thinking about two or three things for which you’re grateful. When you create an attitude of gratitude, you improve your mental and physical health.

Thanksgiving traditions have morphed, incorporating food and cultural aspects of the myriad cultures in America. We can be grateful for the diversity that has been woven into today’s celebrations.

So in the midst of today’s “good” stress – entertaining guests, wondering if the turkey will taste good, figuring out how you can count the desserts as zero calories – take a moment for gratitude. It will make an already wonderful day into an even better one.

“I am thankful for what I am and have. My Thanksgiving is perpetual.”
– Henry David Thoreau

Header image by Fauxels/Pexels.com.