Thanksgiving is bad for the body, but really good for the soul!  I really don’t need to make the argument of the ill affects of overeating do I?  Is this a message about not eating too much?  No, don’t worry I will be wearing my stretchy pants on Thanksgiving too.  

What I really want to focus on is the amazing benefits of Thanksgiving or what an attitude of gratitude can have on your soul and overall well being.  Psychology Today states “Gratitude is an emotion expressing appreciation for what one has—as opposed to, for example, a consumer-driven emphasis on what one wants. Gratitude is getting a great deal of attention as a facet of positive psychology: Studies show that we can deliberately cultivate gratitude, and can increase our well-being and happiness by doing so. In addition, gratefulness—and especially expression of it to others—is associated with increased energy, optimism, and empathy.”  

Wow, who knew Thanksgiving could have this many benefits?  You might be thinking, I am just a glass half empty kind of guy.  Well the good news for you is that you can deliberately cultivate gratitude.  In other words you can get better at being grateful, if you are intentional about it.  So maybe this Thanksgiving as we punish our bodies with delightful bounty we can think about this one challenge.  Just as you were intentional about wearing your stretchy pants, try being intentional about reflecting on what you have to be grateful for!

 

P-Shawn Harnish